| The 2005 launch marked Sheboygan's ninth successful annual launch. More than 40 sixth - through 12th-grade student teams from Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, and Iowa were involved in the 2005 Rockets for Schools launch at the Blue Harbor Conference Center. In the months leading up to the launch, student teams designed, built, and launched scale model rockets with scientific experiments onboard. Teams also developed a project summary and poster projects detailing group efforts.
On Friday, May 13, 2005, NASA retired Astronaut Mark Lee delivered a speech about his responsibilities onboard the shuttle and the International Space Station. He also entertained students' questions about spaceflight. Senator Joe Leibham and newly elected Mayor Juan Perez also spoke to the program participants at the event. Students were able to tour the NASA bus, view NASA exhibits, experience a flight simulation, and play a simulated lunar landing game. Student teams also delivered presentations to a panel of judges throughout the day. The Florida Space Authority attended the launch and planned to launch a super loki dart rocket to kick off the event. Unfortunately, due to weather conditions, the super loki was unable to launch.
On Saturday, May 14, students were involved in the recovery, tracking, mission control, or weather balloon teams. Then the opportunity they were all waiting for arrived: the rocket launch. Class-1 rockets soared more than 2,500 feet while class-2 rockets climbed approximately 4,500 feet. The U.S. Coast Guard, the City of Sheboygan, Senator Joseph Leibham's office, the Governor's office, and Space Explorers, Inc. also launched rockets off the pier. Tripoli Rocket Association conducted specialty launches. The day concluded with an awards ceremony.
View pictures from the 2005 launch event
More details about the 2005 launch
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