Tulsa Rocketry rocket launches return to Pawhuska

Tulsa Rocketry and the Pawhuska Chamber of Commerce have announced that High Frontier 17, an amateur rocket launch event, will take place at the Pawhuska Municipal Airport on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 25-26.

The event was not held in 2020 due to COVID-19 concerns, but it is now scheduled to resume.

For the seventeenth year overall, hobby rocketry enthusiasts from across Oklahoma and several surrounding states will converge on Pawhuska for two days of rocket launches, competition events, and fun.

The launch is expected to be the largest of its kind in Oklahoma. Approximately 300 rocket flights are anticipated during the event.

The rockets will be models constructed of cardboard, plastic, wood, and composites and will range in size from small models weighing only a few ounces to larger models weighing 20 pounds or more. Some of the larger rockets are capable of reaching altitudes of 10,000 feet or more and can carry video cameras, radio transmitters and other instruments aloft.

Rocket flights will start at 9 a.m. each day and continue throughout the day until approximately 5 p.m. Admission is free to the public. Children under 18 can launch their rockets for free when accompanied by an adult.

Closest to the Buffalo Contest Competition events will include "Closest to the Buffalo" for kids under 18. Cash prizes of $25/$15/$10 will be awarded at 3:30 p.m. each day for 1st/2nd/3rd.

Drawings for Free Rockets

Tulsa Rocketry will be giving away free rocket kits again this year to kids under 18. Each child attending the launch receives a free ticket for the drawing. Tickets are drawn every 30 minutes all day, both days of the event. The child holding the winning ticket receives a free rocket kit.

Saturday Night Events

A special “Night Launch” will be conducted Saturday evening beginning about 8 p.m. Special rockets outfitted with LEDs and strobe lights will be flown. The event is free of charge and the public is invited to attend. Sponsors, merchants or individuals interested in sponsoring the Rocket Drawings or contests can drop off contribution checks at the Pawhuska Chamber, or can contact Tulsa Rocketry at president@tulsarocketry.org.

More Information

Tulsa Rocketry will be following CDC guidelines for outdoor events. Masks and social distancing are recommended. Tulsa Rocketry is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The organization consists of approximately 35 members from the Tulsa area and northeastern Oklahoma.

Tulsa Rocketry promotes the safe and educational enjoyment of hobby rocketry through its website, monthly meetings and monthly rocket launches from a site near Leonard, Oklahoma.

For more information, visit the High Frontier page on the Tulsa Rocketry website: http://tulsarocketry.org/high-frontier/.

Questions can also be directed to Paul Reed at 918-691-6737 (cell) or by email at president@tulsarocketry.org; or to Hal Ellis at 918-760-9754 (cell) or by email at hal121@cox.net.