About the Tripoli Central Virginia Club and Battle Park launch site
Some History
Tripoli Central Virginia #25 (TCVA25) is of course a Tripoli Rocketry Association prefecture. As the low number, 25 would indicate, we have been in existence for quite some time. Over twenty years in fact.
In the early years there were not as many rocket clubs or launch sites as there are today. TCVA25 used a different site back then. We held one of the few high power launches on the east coast every spring. The attendance at these launches rivaled today's LDRS and other national events.
As more clubs and launch sites popped up all over the country, traveling to Culpeper VA to attend a high powered launch became less necessary for a lot of rocketeers in the eastern part of the US. By the early to mid 2000's, the site location had changed and attendance at the three day spring launches had dropped off significantly. The club was looking at lower membership, old equipment, fall to spring only launches due to crops at the launch site, and most significantly, an empty treasury.
In the late 2000's, the focus of the club was changed. Instead of only concentrating on providing a high powered launch site and facilities for Tripoli research and commercial launches, the club began to promote and support more low and mid powered youth activities and outreach. The growth of the Team America Rocket Challenge (TARC) started bringing more youth and families to the launches.
In 2008, Ivan Galysh organized and started the Battle of the Rockets (BotR). While TARC is geared toward youth 13 – 18 years old from Scout, Schools, 4 – H, etc groups, the BotR was intended to be the next level up. It is a competition designed and geared for High School and College science and engineering students. Praxis Inc. became the primary sponsor while TCVA25 became the host of the BotR. There are now teams attending from colleges and universities as far away as Texas.
In 2009 the Tripoli LDRS28 event was held on the east coast. This was very fortuitous for TCVA25, which was a co-host of LDRS28 in Potter NY. With the additional funds hosting these events brought in and donations from members, TCVA25 was able to update equipment. Ten 1010 rail launch pads were acquired along with wireless launch controllers, a trailer launcher, and additional 1515 launch pads to go along with the existing pads, sound system, large tent, tables and existing equipment. TCVA25 is now well equipped to host the growing BotR events along with an ever more popular launch schedule.
Facilities and support equipment
The current ground support equipment and facilities the club can supply includes:
- 10 Standard rail launch pads, 1010 type rails
- 2 Extreme rail launch pads, 1515 type rails
- High power launch pads with 1/4 to 3/4 inch rods
- 1 Trailer launch pad with a unistrut rail
- Low power launch pads (1/8 to 1/4 inch rods)
- Porta Pottys are available at all events
- On-site rocketry vendors* for motors and parts
* The vendors that attend Battle Park launches are independant of TCVA25. It is highly recommended that you contact the vendors directly to confirm their attendance at any specific launch event. It is also recommended that you order motors, parts, etc before the event to insure they bring along the motors and parts that you want to the event. See the links page for the onsite vendors.
Waiver and Field
The standard waiver at Battle Park is 15,000 feet. Maximum altitude for research launches is 11,250 feet.
Any rockets with a planned apogee above 12,000 feet must be pre-approved by the club prefect at least two weeks before the launch date.
The Battle Park launch site is active crop land. That is why we are limited to launches between November and April. The land owner has been nothing short of fantastic in his dealings with us. We ask that everyone that attends our launches do everything they can to recipicate this treatment. Please take care of the land and any existing crops as much as you can.
