About Us

WELCOME TO OUR WORLD

Tripoli Vegas is Prefecture #24 of the TRIPOLI ROCKETRY ASSOCIATION, INC., and as such abides by all rules and regulations set up by the national organization. As a local club, we are free to set our own local bylaws to govern our activities.

If you intend to launch High Power with us you should become a member of the Tripoli Rocketry Association, which provides launch insurance, with national membership.

SOME HISTORY

Tom Blazanin encouraged any and all of us interested in rockets to come to a “get together” and form a local Prefecture of the Tripoli Rocketry Association, Inc. We had about 12-15 people come to that historic first meeting. Tom gave us a pep talk and said he would serve as an officer, but not a president. When we asked him how he felt about being Prefect and vice president he agreed. Denise Rosenfield said she’d serve as Secretary/Treasurer, and Les Derkovitz made the mistake of walking in with the biggest rocket and got railroaded into being president. (He didn’t kick and scream too much!).

Now that we had our officers, we set off to get some work done. Charter/Bylaws were written (we’re recognized by national), launches were planned and it wasn’t long before a long term project-our own altitude attempt-was planned. At that time most of us weren’t too “mature” in our high power endeavors. But after couple years flying, building, and launching our altitude rocket combined with holding a couple “Turkey Shoot” and Delamar launches changed all that. These days you’ll see our members building projects with fiberglass and metal, using all kinds of electronic do-dads, clustering, and staging and very impressive motors. Our personal interest in the hobby and the support/help from each other have “propelled” us to becoming the builder/flyers you see today.

Our bylaws have been extensively reworked with expert guidance and are used as a model for other prefectures across the country.

We stress safety as the highest priority at our club launches.

MEETINGS

Tripoli Vegas holds monthly meetings to keep members up to date in High Power Rocketry, conduct presentations, answer questions and keep members and guests abreast of safety issues involved in High Power Rocketry. These meetings are open to anyone interested in finding out more about High Powered Rocketry as a Hobby and Sport. To find out date, times and location of the next Tripoli Vegas Meeting please look to the Home page. Most meetings are held at the launch site on Saturday 10AM on the 3rd Saturday of each month.

LAUNCHES

Tripoli Vegas conducts launches for its members and guests once a month. Club launches are held the third Saturday of the month at the Jean Dry Lake bed. Certified Tripoli and NAR members are permitted to fly High Power Rockets up to their certification level. Children under 18 years of age may fly model rockets at our range. Adults must join Tripoli National to be covered under our insurance, and to use our launch equipment and range. If you have never flown rockets before, or if you have any questions, we are happy to answer questions and show you how.

Tripoli Vegas also conducts the Springfest regional launch which draws a far larger crowd than our regular club launches. Springfest is more dedicated to larger High Power Rockets, however the launch is open to visitors and guests.

Tripoli Vegas conducts monthly Research Launches under the Tripoli Research Safety Code.

All Tripoli Vegas Launches are conducted with legal FAA Clearance Waivers and under the strict Tripoli Rocketry Association’s Safety Code. For more information on the dates, times and locations for our launches please select LAUNCHES from our menu.

If you are attending a rocket launch for the first time, we encourage you to contact us to let us know you plan on attending. Any groups attending are requested to contact us for special information. Jean Dry Lake is a desert environment. You must bring appropriate clothing, food, water, and shade for the season.

We proudly support local schools, Boy Scouts of America, Girl Scouts, and Civil Air Patrol Scouts, among other organizations, with launch capability and technical support.

JOINING TRIPOLI LAS VEGAS

Tripoli Las Vegas is the local club for the national Tripoli Rocketry Association (TRA). In order to fly with Tripoli Las Vegas, adults must JOIN the TRA. The dues for joining TRA are $70 per year. Joining TRA can be accomplished by Paypal on their site, or at our club launches with our Prefect.

Tripoli Las Vegas dues are $30 per year which entitles you to all club benefits for your national certification level, including the right to vote and waiver of monthly launch fees. Your local club dues pay for our equipment, maintenance, BLM fees, yearly club dues to national, trailer registration, website, and all the costs of maintaining a local club. NOTE: Tripoli National dues are for the national club and insurance; Tripoli Las Vegas dues are for the local club; they are separate dues. Tripoli Vegas Application Form

For questions regarding anything related to Tripoli Vegas, Membership, Launches, Safety, Rocketry, etc. select CONTACTS from our menu. Thank you for your interest. Come fly with us!!!!