Due to the very cold weather we are going to cancel this weekend’s launch. Next scheduled launch is Saturday January 17, 2026.
Author Archives: Doug Probst
December 13 & 14, 2025 – ELSBERRY HIGH POWER ROCKET LAUNCH
Launch Director: Jason Garbus 314.779.7419
Contact info: jason.garbus@outlook.com
Date and time: 12/13/2025 and 12/14/2025, pending landowner permission due to weather forecast for the week leading up to the launch. The waiver will be active between 10:00 AM CST and 4:00 PM CST.
If a cancellation is made, we will do our best to communicate as early as possible, but no later than Friday evening. Cancellation announcements will be made via the website and Facebook webpage.
Location: Elsberry, MO.
Our waiver will be open from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. The range may or may not remain open until 4:00 pm, depending on how many people attend and how many rockets we have to fly.
Our waiver is 6,000′ AGL with call-in windows to 14,000′ AGL.
Note: We would like to try to minimize impact to FAA traffic, so please email Jason Garbus if you will need a window for your flight so we can try to group the flights together.
The club equipment trailer should arrive at the field around 9:00 am for us to begin setup. We would greatly appreciate as much help as possible with setup and cleanup, so please plan to arrive early if you can.
There will be neither food concessions nor restroom facilities at this site, but it is a ten minute drive into town for fuel, food and restroom.
For current SLRA members, there will be no launch fee
If you’re not a current SLRA member, low power rocket fees are $5, and high power fees will be $10.
You must be a current Tripoli or NAR member in order to enter the range. You will be required to provide proof of current membership prior to being admitted to the event. Membership is not required for spectators.
IF YOU DO NOT HAVE PROOF OF MEMEBRSHIP YOU WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO FLY.
All flight will be conducted under the current Tripoli Safety Code: https://www.tripoli.org/safetycode
All participants will be required to sign a hold harmless agreement. A copy may be filled out prior to arrival to save time in the field. THIS WILL BE REQUIRED AT EACH FLIGHT
We plan to have various sizes of launch pads set up, from the 1/8′′ model rocket rods up to 1515 rails.
If you are wanting to make any of the following flights, please reach out to Jason Garbus (contact info above) as soon as possible:
● A certification attempt, whether with NAR or TRA. Please include details such as Name, Certifying Agency, What level you want to attempt, and if you are wanting to do a L2 attempt. Tripoli testing is available online and should be completed prior to the launch. Please bring your passing result report.
● A multi-stage flight attempt that is not black powder (i.e. using composites and electronic staging) with details of your flight.
● As mentioned above, in need of a window for your flight ( Flights > 6,000′, and less than 14,000′)
As always, please be courteous to our hosts and respectful of their property, including driving slowly on all farm roads. Once we get on site, we will clarify where it is okay to drive and park. Do not attempt to drive on the field.
Launch site location and directions to field:
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1616154,-90.7682789,2917m/data=!3m1!1e3
From the St. Louis area, take MO highway 79 north to its intersection with JJ. (If you get into the town of Elsberry itself, you’ve gone too far.) Turn right onto Old Highway 79, which is a gravel road. Old 79 will turn right again, but do not follow it – continue straight onto the farm road, across a wooden bridge. From that point, follow the signs. Please refer to the following two maps: the first map is the “usual” way; the second map is an alternate route we may be asked to use due to field conditions. When we confirm the launch, we will send another announcement telling you which route to use.
Dec 6th Launch cancelled
Due to the field conditions from the snow we got, we are going to cancel this Saturdays December 6th launch. Hopefully we’ll have better weather conditions next weekend.
A few notes from tonight’s SLRA meeting
A couple of notes from tonight’s SLRA meeting that I need to send out.
- Weather / Field conditions pending, SLRA has added another high power launch date of Dec 6th 2025 at the Elsberry, MO site. Sunday will not be a backup date for this event.
- Any membership dues collected going forward to count for the 2026 calendar year. So you can now submit your dues for 2026.
Launch Cancelled
Due to all the rain we are having to cancel this the launch event for this weekend. The field is too muddy for us.
Update : Nov 22 & 23 – Elsberry High Power Launch
As of 6PM Thursday 11/20 the rain has been scattered and very light. Our plan is to make a decision on the Saturday launch by Friday afternoon. If we continue to see very light bands of rain, we will hold off on making a decision on the Sunday launch. Our hopes would be that the field dries out enough on Saturday. More information will be provided in the next 24 hours.
November 22 & 23, 2025 – ELSBERRY HIGH POWER ROCKET LAUNCH
Launch Director: Jason Garbus 314.779.7419
Contact info: jason.garbus@outlook.com
Date and time: 11/22/2025 and 11/22/2025, pending landowner permission due to weather
forecast for the week leading up to the launch. The waiver will be active between 10:00 AM
CST and 4:00 PM CST.
If a cancellation is made, we will do our best to communicate as early as possible, but no
later than Friday evening. Cancellation announcements will be made via the website and
Facebook webpage.
Location: Elsberry, MO.
Our waiver will be open from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. The range may or may not remain open
until 4:00 pm, depending on how many people attend and how many rockets we have to fly.
Our waiver is 6,000′ AGL with call-in windows to 14,000′ AGL.
Note: We would like to try to minimize impact to FAA traffic, so please email Jason Garbus if
you will need a window for your flight so we can try to group the flights together.
The club equipment trailer should arrive at the field around 9:00 am for us to begin setup.
We would greatly appreciate as much help as possible with setup and cleanup, so please
plan to arrive early if you can.
There will be neither food concessions nor restroom facilities at this site, but it is a ten
minute drive into town for fuel, food and restroom.
For current SLRA members, there will be no launch fee
If you’re not a current SLRA member, low power rocket fees are $3, and high power fees will
be $10.
You must be a current Tripoli or NAR member in order to enter the range. You will be
required to provide proof of current membership prior to being admitted.
IF YOU DO NOT HAVE PROOF OF MEMEBRSHIP YOU WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO FLY.
All flight will be conducted under the current Tripoli Safety
Code: https://www.tripoli.org/safetycode
All participants will be required to sign a hold harmless agreement. A copy may be filled out
prior to arrival to save time in the field. THIS WILL BE REQUIRED AT EACH FLIGHT
We plan to have various sizes of launch pads set up, from the 1/8′′ model rocket rods up to
1515 rails.
If you are wanting to make any of the following flights, please reach out to Jason Garbus
(contact info above) as soon as possible:
● A certification attempt, whether with NAR or TRA. Please include details such as Name,
Certifying Agency, What level you want to attempt, and if you are wanting to do a L2
attempt. Tripoli testing is available online and should be completed prior to the launch.
Please bring your passing result report.
● A multi-stage flight attempt that is not black powder (i.e. using composites and
electronic staging) with details of your flight.
● As mentioned above, in need of a window for your flight ( Flights > 6,000′, and less than
14,000′)
As always, please be courteous to our hosts and respectful of their property, including
driving slowly on all farm roads. Once we get on site, we will clarify where it is okay to drive
and park. Do not attempt to drive on the field.
Launch site location and directions to field:
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1616154,-90.7682789,2917m/data=!3m1!1e3
From the St. Louis area, take MO highway 79 north to its intersection with JJ. (If you get into
the town of Elsberry itself, you’ve gone too far.) Turn right onto Old Highway 79, which is a
gravel road. Old 79 will turn right again, but do not follow it – continue straight onto the farm
road, across a wooden bridge. From that point, follow the signs. Please refer to the
following two maps: the first map is the “usual” way; the second map is an alternate route
we may be asked to use due to field conditions. When we confirm the launch, we will send
another announcement telling you which route to use.
SLRA’s High Power launch schedule
WELL GUYS...HERE IT IS!
St Louis Rocketry association has tentatively scheduled the following dates for high power launches at our Elsberry Mo launch site:
Nov 22 and 23
Dec 13 and 14
Jan 17 and 18
Feb 21 and 22
Mar 21 and 22
These dates are pending weather or other unforeseen conditions outside of our control. We have scheduled launches on both Saturday and Sunday to take advantage of the short flying duration we have while the fields are empty. As discussed at the previous meetings, all flyers are required to present a current Tripoli or NAR card or virtual card from the corresponding membership website. If you are not a member of one of these two organizations, you will not be permitted to fly. All High Power launches will be conducted under the current Tripoli Safety Code and each flyer will be required to provide a signed copy of the TRA liability waiver form. Set up at the field will commence at 9AM with the Waiver opening at 10AM. Additional emails will be sent pertaining to each launch as we get closer to the event date.
SLRA Prefect
Today’s Buder Park Launch
Still hoping to hold today’s event. Depending on which weather website we could get a little rain or not. At this point it’s still a go.
Oct 25th – Spooktacular Launch update
We received a Letter of Agreement from St. Louis County Parks Dept. so, weather permitting, we are planning to hold our Spooktacular night launch event on Saturday October 25th.
Forecast for Saturday Oct 25th Sunset 6:09pm
Day 68 – Sun and a few passing clouds. High 68F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.
Night 45 - A mostly clear sky. Low near 45F. Winds WSW 5 mph.
Proposed timeline:
2:30pm - 3:30pm setup
3:30pm - 11:00pm flights
11:00pm – 11:30pm cleanup