Tripoli Rocketry Association

Tripoli Rocketry Association, Inc.
non-profit organization
Website www.tripoli.org

The Tripoli Rocketry Association (TRA) is one of the two major organizing bodies for high power rocketry.

It was founded in 1964 in the Pittsburgh, PA region as a high school science club, integrating both rocketry and space science. By the late-1980s, it transitioned from a regional club into formal, incorporated, USA-national organization, with a focus on self-regulating advanced, High-Power Rocketry (HPR). The deregulation of the aviation industry by the Reagan Administration also facilitated the growth of HPR activities.

The founder was Francis G. Graham. Early members who helped expand the club were Curtis W. Hughes, Kenneth J. Good, and Arthur R. Bower, with Thomas J. (Tom) Blazanin leading its formalization as an incorporated national organization in 1987 with the assistance of Alaska lawyer Darrel J. Gardner.

Tripoli organizes many rocket launches, both regional events hosted by local prefectures and larger international launches like LDRS ("Large Dangerous Rocket Ships") [1] and BALLS. They also provide insurance for organized launches, administer a member certification program for flying high power rockets, and perform testing and certification of commercial hobby rocket motors.

Tripoli has expanded internationally over the years, and currently has clubs in many different countries including the U.S, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

Tripoli was involved as a plaintiff in a nine-year lawsuit (in conjunction with the National Association of Rocketry as a co-plaintiff) against the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) as the defendant, regarding its claims of jurisdiction over and legal classifications regarding permitting, storage, and use of ammonium perchlorate composite propellant (APCP) in rocket motors. On March 16, 2009, the US District Court for the District of Columbia found in favor of TRA/NAR, and ordered the BATFE to vacate APCP from its list of regulated explosives.

References

  1. ↑ Christopher T. Pearson. "The LDRS Story" (pdf). Skybusters.org. Retrieved 7 February 2011. An authoritative account by the organizer of the origins and early years of the LDRS high-power launches, and their transition into national TRA events.

Some of Tripoli's record altitude records...

Chris Franco - (10/20/2013 - Current) Flier: Chris Franco Class: Single Motor G Date: 10/20/2013 Location: October Skies, Fresno, California Altitude: 8,796 feet Motor: CTI G150BS Flier: Adrian Adamson Class: Single Motor H Date: 07/09/2011 Location: Highlands Ranch, CO Altitude: 14,818' Motor: CTI H160


Flier: Carlo Vaccari Class: Single Motor I Date: 02/09/2013 Location: Lucerne Valley, CA Altitude: 10,247' Motor: Aerotech I59


Flier: Curt Von Delius Class: Single Motor J Date: 08/03/2012 Location: Black Rock Desert Altitude: 23,735' Motor: AT J510


Flier: Jim Jarvis Class: Single Motor K Date: 09/26/2010 Location: Altitude: 29,266' Motor: CTI K300


	Flier: Adrian Adamson

Class: Single Stage L Date: 10/17/2011 Location: Pawnee National Grasslands, CO Altitude: 32,030' Motors: CTI L1115


	Flier: Curt von Delius

Class: Single Motor M Date: 09/19/2008 Location: Black Rock, NV Altitude: 45,328' Motor: KBA M1450W

Nic Lottering (09/20/2013 - Current)

Fliers: Nic Lottering Class: Single Motor N Date: 09/20/2013 Location: Balls 22 - Black Rock, Nevada Altitude: 51,238 feet Motor: CTI N5800

Gerald Meux Jr (09/20/2013 - Current)

Flier: Gerald Meux Jr Class: Single Motor O Date: 09/20/2013 Location: Balls 22 - Black Rock, Nevada Altitude: 30,168 feet Motor: CTI O-25000

External links


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