Dave Triano of ShadowAero designed and built the amazing 'Interstellar Overdrive' Q motor project for Mike Hobbs and Randy Helmonds. The rocket was powered by a 8' 'Q' motor by Frank Kosdon, and flew September 11, 2004, to an altitude of 100,000'. The minimum diameter rocket was a study in simplicity and efficiency, using an all-carbon fin can and nosecone created with special resin systems and ablative coatings. The deployment system worked as designed. It was composed of redundant XTime units intiating dual patent pending gas generators designed by Dave Triano.

The ShadowAero 2002 team at Black Rock. From left to right, Dave Triano with a Shock L3000 (24,000', mach 2.5), Dr. Eugene Trubowitz with a extended Raven EX (mach 2.2, 110 G acceleration), Dr. Frank Kosdon with the 3" Shock (27,000', mach 1.7), and horizontally is the latest  Exoterra research vehicle (100,000', mach 4.7).

Interested in obtaining ShadowAero sponsorship of your extreme project? We actively sponsor the absolute -most extreme- and technically advanced projects out there. We were custom builder/sponsors of the P motor Aurora project seen on the Discovery Channel's Rocket Challenge through construction of Aurora's fins and thrust bulkheads. We also sponsored the two P motor projects that Mike Hobbs and Randy Helmonds flew at BALLS 2003. For 2004 we are sponsoring many more bigger and more extreme projects, such as the SDSU lox/Jet A 60,000' project....  Just send in a description of your design and performance envelope, and we will consider sponsorship in the form of material or technical support.  We do not sponsor projects with total impulse under 30,000 NS unless they display special technical innovation.

The SDSU Team with their ShadowAero sponsored 60,000' LOX/Jet A project. to be launched at the MTA in early 2004.

Mike Hobbs and Randy Helmonds made thorough use of ShadowAero materials and technology for their all-carbon fiber 2 stage N to M launch vehicle at the 2002 Black Rock launch. The rocket boosted beautifully, but hobby electronics let them down, as the second stage did not ignite, and both stages came in ballistic. The amazing thing was, the booster rocket was found -intact-, 1' below the surface of the lake bed. An unfortunate but strong testimony to the strength of ShadowAero  construction techniques.... Randy and Mike are coming back next season with 2 all carbon projects for some serious P motor powered altitude!

Here's one for you Raven fans - Richard Hagensick (one of the original Raven owners) has created a two stage Raven. This little speed demon is capable of J1500 to J1500 flights, which would put it well beyond mach 3. The rocket is assembled and finished to a beautiful level, with many of the internal components and coupler units milled to aerospace spec by Richard. Richard always does justice to our kits, and this latest 'RGH Raven2' is just another example of his fine craftsmanship. WAY TO GO RICHARD!

Tom Baiga with his nicely done Shock - Tom regularly flys his Shock on Hybrid motors for flights over 10,000', showing the true potential of this ultra light and well engineered rocket.

The MARS team travelled all the way from the U.K. to Black Rock, Nevada, to reclaim the U.K. altitude record. Using a Kosdon O10,000 with a boosted dart, it was an exceptionally ambitious project, and we are proud to report that special materials from ShadowAero were used throughout the launch vehicle's construction! The MARS team not only reclaimed the U.K. altitude record, they DOUBLED it, and proved their engineering prowess with a successful launch and recovery of both the booster and the dart!

"After building the fantastic Raven, I rented the videotapes, poured over them, built a curing oven from the kit, bought all the recommended products, and here's what I built; a scratch built 98mm minimum diameter all carbon fiber rocket that went mach 1.7 to 19,631 feet for my L3 certification ---  piece-o-cake.  When Dave speaks - I listen!"  Dan Stroud