With the exception of my cable modem bill, it was a good day for mail. I finally got my missing coins that I won on Ebay two months ago, and because of the lateness the shipper included a bunch of extra stuff. I made a total killing on that auction.

More exciting than that, however, was the arrival of the final shipment of parts for The Nerd Magnet, including the first two motors - an H128W and an H165R. Aside from meaning that the rocket moves from "finishing" to "active" status, and that these motors are so powerful that I'm not technically supposed to be able to launch them, this mail was exciting because it was shipped to my office - in the MIT reactor control facility.

So I stop by the office to check my mail, and there is my package sitting on the reception desk - directly in front of the armed police officer. I guess the hazmat labels on the package indicating that it contained a "propellant device" had riled up the already heightened security at the reactor.

They asked me questions about what it was, why I hadn't answered my office phone, etc. And made sure that I left the building with it. It was all somewhat humorous.

This evening I cut up the tubular Kevlar and made the final adjustments to the recovery bridle for the rocket, packaged it all up, and weighed it. Dry weight: 4 pounds.

And that's a big fat shame, since the FAA waiver for this weekend was denied and we can't launch anything over 3.3 pounds. I am so frustrated. I'll still cart the rocket out to Amesbury and give it a shot - perhaps Evan's scale is off, etc. It's at least very close. If they deny the launch, though, at least there's another launch in just two weeks.