Big Bada Boom

Incredibile pictures. Wow. Wow. Wow.

Those are absolutely incredible shots of CATOs of big motors. Big big motors. The first is carrying 8 pounds of black powder, which I estimate to be about a K motor (1 oz ≈ 20Ns since a 17Ns D12 has 0.88oz of BP).

The fourth one is probably the best. It'sa picture of a P motor overpressurizing about blowing its top. The front half of the rocket is shooting gracefully into the sky - in front of a HUGE mountain in the background. The launch rail is being twisted and thrown from it spot. The best part: you can see the supersonic shock wave just feet from the pad.

That's what a 400mm zoom at 1/3000 second shutter speed will get you, as well as a quick trigger finger and skills at getting some of the best rocket photos out there.

Steve Jurvetson's page on scienceblogs.