Origins of Model Rocketry
The model rocket, and perhaps more importantly, the model rocket motor, were both designed in 1954 by Orville Carlisle, a licensed pyrotechnics expert, and his brother Robert, a model airplane builder. They originally designed the engine and rocket for Robert to use in lectures on the principles of rocket powered flight. But then Orville read articles written in Popular Mechanics by G. Harry Stine about the safety problems associated with young people trying to make their own rocket engines.
During the late 1950's, many people, excited about the idea of space travel, tried to design and build their own flying rockets, just as decades earlier people thought of designing and building their own models of the new airplanes that were taking to the skies. Unfortunately, designing and building a working rocket was not as simple or safe as building a model airplane. Most tried to build their models entirely out of metal parts, and mixed dangerous chemicals to make motors. The results were disastrous. Most of these rockets blew up like bombs, injuring and killing their builders and spectators. Some began to call for making the activity illegal, or at least restricting the availability of the chemicals used.
Orville realized that his designs could solve these problems and sent samples of his rockets and motors to Mr. Stine in January 1957. Stine, a range safety officer at White Sands Missile range, built and flew the models, and then devised a safety code for the activity based on his experience at the range. That humble beginning was the start of model rocketry as we know it today. Click here for more info...