About Us
Our Purpose
ROAR is chapter 795 of the NAR. We are a community of sports rocketry enthusiasts of all levels, from beginners to experts, who share a common passion for rocketry. The club provides a venue for rocketeers and students in Central Florida to have fun learning, building, and launching rockets of various sizes and shapes. We also promote safe and responsible rocketry practices, following a similar process to the launch protocol of NASA. The club’s mission is to inspire and educate the next generation of rocket scientists and engineers, as well as to enjoy the thrill and excitement of rocketry as a hobby.
We hold monthly public launches typically on the 4th Saturday of every month from 10AM to 4PM.
Volunteers and enthusiasts of all ages are welcome!
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Our Officers
Mike Fitzgerald
President
Mike is an experienced leader and dedicated member of the central Florida community with a passion for flight and aerospace. He is a certified pilot and has dedicated years of service as a 4-H leader, where he mentored young people and helped them develop confidence and practical life skills. Whether in the air, on the launch field, or in the community, Mike is hands-on in sports rocketry.
Travis Riley
Chief Technical Officer
Travis holds a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Central Florida and a Master’s degree in Electronics Engineering. Travis has served as an officer of ROAR since 2016, and holds a L1 High Power Rocketry certification from NAR. He has been a lifelong enthusiast of rocketry and aerospace with expertise in electronics, test systems, and automated systems. He has also dedicated his career to working in Aerospace industries where he currently works at OneWeb.
Launching with ROAR
Overview
To launch a rocket on our field we must ensure that we comply with all requirements from Orange County and the National Association of Rocketry (NAR).
To ensure we meet the requirements of our County and the NAR we ask that everyone launching a rocket be a member of ROAR.
On this field, vendors are not permitted to sell any items per county policy.
Notice
Per county policy please note that anyone under 18 years old must be accompanied by an adult. Minors are still welcome to join us, including launching their own rockets and participating in our flight control crew, but we do have to impose this requirement as a condition for using the field.
Membership
To fly with ROAR please obtain memberships for the following:
- ROAR membership: Dues are $20 per year per person. Collected in cash on launch day.
- Sports rocketry membership: Membership is required from either NAR or Tripoli. Select the right membership for you available on the following websites:
Our Field
- Field dimensions: 1200 ft x 1500 ft
- Current Launch Limitations:
- Altitude Ceiling: 3000ft
- Total Vehicle Weight (with motor): 53 ozs
- Maximum Motor: Class G
- Maximum Motor propellant : 4.4 ozs
- Max Impulse: 36 lbs-s (106 N-s)
- Nearby Fire Department (Station 84)
- Public Restrooms (Available at Fort Christmas Historical Park)
