A Number of Questions About High-Power/Amateur Rocketry

[IthyStPete]

I have a number of questions, some of which are probably common knowledge or really noobish, but anyways:
1. Are there any amateur rockets (or professional, I suppose) that are attached to a weather balloon (or something like it), sent up some distance, then launched from mid-air?
2. If not, does this sound like a feasible idea? Have any experiments been done?
3. How high can high altitude balloons go, realistically speaking, and what determines this?
4. How much telemetry can you get from a decent-sized amateur rocket? What kind of equipment is required on the rocket and on the ground?
5. How high have the highest amateur rockets gone, and how much did they cost?
6. What kind of motors get used in really high-power amateur rocketry?

Thanks for any and all information you can provide.

 

[Bj]

rocket launch from baloon

It can be done, but your talking real amateur rocketry there.

...like a feasible idea.

I wouldn't think of it unless your in a club or the Mohave desert. Your balloon will drift in any kind of wind, so you will have to be very careful.

Check this company's handout

 

[Eagle]

If you really need space, get a boat. Launch from shore or aboard and motor out and pick up your rocket when it comes down.

 

[Bj]

If you really need space, get a boat.

Probably cheaper to drive somewhere than to buy a boat...

 

[Brad]

Probably cheaper to drive somewhere than to buy a boat...

But you'll have a new "toy!" That settles it, another arguement to get a boat.

On topic however::: I would recommend start small. The NRA (National Rocket Association for US or simular organization if you are in a different country) would be the way to go.

 

[Hielor]

If you really need space, get a boat. Launch from shore or aboard and motor out and pick up your rocket when it comes down.

Find a military surplus ballistic missile sub...then you'll have some nice launch tubes too!

 

[Zatnikitelman]

Oh heck, why stop there? Another carrier should be getting striken soon! Then you'll have launch-catapults to launch recovery aircraft off of! :rofl:

 

[RisingFury]

Highest amateur that I've heard of:
http://sugarshot.org/

 

[IthyStPete]

I should note that this is more of a thought experiment than anything into how high could a cheap, simple rocket be made to go.
Major thanks for that Sugarshot link.

 

[n72.75]

HIGH altiude

5. How high have the highest amateur rockets gone, and how much did they cost?

relatively far up there

 

[Nerull]

The highest would be the GoFast rocket, built by the CSXT team, though they kind of push the boundaries of 'amateur'. They reached an altitude of 72 miles/115km.

 

[n72.75]

Launch video of above, not the best video though.

 

[Bj]

Too bad they don't have any cams aboard those high altitude ones.