NOTE: I've been less careful about formatting this time, since Pegasus
Mail messes it up anyhow. Probably I need to use a different format.
===================
Minutes of ERPS General Meeting #239
20 June 2002
The President called the meeting to order at 8:45 PM. Members present
were Randall Clague, Bill Clawson, Rick Eversole, Sean Lynch, David
Masten, Pierce Nichols, Dan Solvin, Adrian Tymes, Michael Wallis,
David Weinshenker, and Chris Winter. Tim Gomez also attended.
Reports and discussion on agenda items were as follows:
CMT Nothing to report
.-----
Kevin Bollinger
DOCUMENTATION Michael passed some ERPS archival material to
.------------- Chris. This included a binder from the DC-X program,
Chris Winter containing some great photos of the first flight.
Chris advised the meeting that the Rocketdyne
document, as previously reproduced for Sean and Pierce, is missing a
page from the table of contents. That page has now been copied from the
document Rick obtained and will be part of all future distributions to
members. Both Sean and Pierce requested a copy of the missing page.
Rick is still waiting to hear from his Boeing/Rocketdyne
contact about approval for us to freely distribute the Rocketdyne
document.
Chris has uploaded a set of alternate ERPS logos to his
home directory on Cube. These need to be moved so those concerned
can review them. As for getting the current logo to 300 dpi or better, only
partial success has been achieved so far.
Chris made up a side-by-side comparison of the original
wording of the brochure and his revised version. He has e-mailed this to
Bill and given a printed copy to Michael. Work on a final, fully suitable
version awaits a future opportunity for discussion and wrangling.
ERPS Web pages need some work. Chris presented a
proposal to the Board for a two-phase effort -- basically, cleanup and
redesign -- based on his recent examination of the top levels of the site.
He expects to complete Phase 1 (cleanup) within two weeks, upload a
copy of the site for review, then begin Phase 2 involving consultation with
Sean and others concerned.
IT Sean has moved the last two "outboard" mailing lists to
.-- the Cube server. Having all the mailing lists on the same
Sean Lynch machine will simplify system administration.
The version control system CVS is now available for
anyone who knows how to use it and has access to the ERPS servers.
Apache security holes announced this week are not a
problem for our installation.
LIASON & PAO Discussions to arrange a party room for ERPS at
ConJose (World Science Fiction Convention #60)
are under way. This will most probably be Saturday night. Michael has
offered to make the arrangements and run the room.
The week following ConJose, on the first Wednesday in
September, Dave M will be doing a presentation on Gizmocopter to the
Silicon Valley Linux Users Group (SVLUG). The talk is entitled
"Teaching Penguins to Fly". An announcement can probably be found on
the SVLUG Web site.
Within the next two weeks, one Ky Michelson will be
making the first amateur attempt to send a rocket into space. Some of
our local colleagues will be providing support.
Michael reported that Capital One sent us a credit card
pre-approved with a $20,000 line of credit. This generous offer has been
officially shredded into appropriately tiny pieces and circular-filed.
LOGISTICS Dan relayed a report from Chuck. Chuck thinks he has
.--------- found the leak in the water system at the rocket ranch.
Sean Lynch He estimates it will take five hours to dig up and fix the
pipe at that point. We will schedule a work party as soon as feasible.
Chuck also cleared a blockage upstream of the cistern, that was limiting
inflow. This is a recurring problem, apparently.
TREASURER The treasurer�s report was presented and accepted. A
.--------- check will be cut fora $50 payment to the Franchise Tax
Michael Wallis Board, associated with our semi-annual filing to the
California Secretary of State. All other currently outstanding financial
obligations have been met.
CHECK-SIGNING POLICY: IT IS THE POLICY OF ERPS THAT NO
ERPS MEMBER SHALL SIGN AN ERPS CHECK PAYABLE TO
HIMSELF OR HERSELF. ERPS CHECKS WRITTEN TO ERPS
MEMBERS MUST BE SIGNED BY AN OFFICER OTHER THAN THE
PAYEE.
CHIEF SCIENTIST Nothing to report.
.---------------
Kevin Bollinger
FLIGHT CONTROLS Bill has made a good deal of progress on control
.--------------- software. He is being impeded by a lack of
Bill Clawson knowledge of quaternions. Pierce directed him to
a good practical review of the topic at http://mathworld.wolfram.com/ on
the Web.
PROPELLANTS Pierce presented his revised sparger proposal to
.----------- the board. The board requested more information
Pierce Nichols on volume production capability and impurity
levels in the sparger product, as well as more details on automatic
controls. Pierce will revise his paper and present it again.
Degussa (sp?) as an alternate source of peroxide
was discussed. Apparently they plan to set up a warehouse in the U.S.
at some future time; this would enable them to supply peroxide in
smaller lots. They might become a useful competitor to FMC.
REGULATORY Discussions regarding our presence at RRS
AFFAIRS launch events continue.
.-------
Randall Clague He continues to work on analyzing and codifying
the U.S. DOT Hazardous Material Regulations, and clarifying how they
apply to ERPS.
SAFETY Engineering analysis of the proposed fuel system
.------ for the KISS-III vehicle shows that it will be safe to
Dave Masten operate.
At the rocket ranch, the required shower system
is installed, but it needs a pull chain. Regulations also mandate having a
full hazardous materials suit (a "moon suit") and an approved place to
store it. We will investigate the possibility of building a small cabinet or
shed onto the generator building.
TESTING Last Sunday�s testing of the KISS engine was
.------- precluded by dry conditions and high winds that
Dave Masten made it a CDF "red flag" day. The test team
turned this setback into an opportunity by installing an additional
isolation valve on the rocket ranch water system.
SMARTFLIGHT Nothing to report.
.-----------
Dave Weinshenker
KISS Good progress is being made on designing the fuel
.---- system for KISS-III.
Mark Blair
The changeover from KISS-II to the new design will be
done in such a way that the improvements can be easily swapped in and
out. This will permit us to make additional flights of the existing vehicle.
Spike The first components of the engine are on order.
.-----
Sean Lynch A small amount of money, derived from pun taxes, is
available for Spike. (This will increase, if I have anything to say about it.
And I do.)
POGO Completion of Gizmocopter is the pacing item.
.----
Dave Masten Flanges for the engine have been ordered and should
arrive any day.
Price quotes for thrust-chamber machining have been
received from a local firm and one in Oklahoma; both are quite
reasonable.
Dan reported that the engine will be rated for 1,000 psi
using 100% HTP.
Meeting #239 adjourned at 9:58 PM. The next meeting is scheduled for
Thursday, 4 July 2002.
Respectfully submitted,
Chris Winter
Secretary, ERPS
+++ PLEASE ADVISE THE SECRETARY OF ANY ADDITIONS
OR CORRECTIONS TO THESE MINUTES +++
_______________________________________________
ERPS-list mailing list
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://lists.erps.org/mailman/listinfo/erps-list
