Trinity’s STEM club has worked on many projects over the years. Recently, STEM teacher Mr. Steve Hammer and senior class vice president Dashal Smothers started a project branching off of this club. Both individuals have started to build rockets that stand around one and a half meters tall. This project started at the beginning of the 24-25 school year when Smothers brought the idea to Mr. Hammer. Smothers states, “From a young age, I have always had a fascination with space or rockets.”. He has since been accepted to Purdue University to study aerospace. He hopes to continue this in college and hopefully build rockets of larger caliber.
The rockets at Trinity have been mainly built from scratch with the exception of one rocket having some kit parts, but even still, those parts within the kit have been modified and adapted for the specifications of the rocket. One of the rockets being built could reach up to 3,000 feet while the other one is being built to fly supersonic and could fly upwards of 17,000 feet with the correct motor. Neither of the rockets have flown yet, but the first launch date for one of the rockets is set to be in March of 2025, and the other is set to launch in April of 2025. Both rockets use a fuel called Ammonium Perchlorate (ACPC). The launches will take place out in Elizabethtown on a sod farm that is certified by the National Association of Rocketry (NAR) as a launch facility with a height ceiling of 10,000 feet. Mr. Hammer does not expect to build rockets exceeding this caliber.
Hammer has a long history of building rockets, especially since he teaches the Aerospace Science class at Trinity, but his history extends further. Back during the days of COVID, Mr. Hammer and a few students built a slightly smaller rocket, which was finished but never was able to be launched due to the pandemic. For the first time this year, that rocket was able to be launched at the facility in Elizabethtown. If you are a current student at Trinity and this sounds like something you’d like to get involved in, contact Mr. Hammer at [email protected]. STEM Club is always accepting new members.
