Richard Codd fondly remembers launching model rockets as a child: American space programs were just getting started, and Codd said he was “fascinated” by rockets. His fascination continues today: Codd partnered with the local Utah State University Extension 4-H program to start a model rocket club, which will host its first meeting in October.
“I’m hoping to see a group of kids who are really interested in finding something perhaps new to them and having fun doing it,” Codd said.
The club is open to sixth through twelfth graders, and parents and guardians are encouraged to participate as well. Meetings will take place twice per month, and members will explore topics like aerodynamic design, gravity, and telemetry, all while building (and launching) model rockets from kits. Codd said his two primary goals for the club are fun and safety.
“Hopefully we’ll build a lifelong interest in someone too,” he said.
By partnering with USU, Codd said, the club can provide all rockets: money shouldn’t be a reason why someone can’t join the club. Members will start with small, basic kits, then work their way up to building more complicated rockets. Kits on the market range in price and design—Estes Rockets, a leading company in model rocket kits, sells both engines and full kits, which mimic modern rockets like the SpaceX Falcon 9 and Blue Origin New Shepard.
Club members learn about and use safety guides published by the National Association of Rocketry, a nonprofit organization dedicated to “consumer safety, youth education, and the advancement of technology in the hobby of space modeling (sport rocketry) in the United States,” according to its website. Model rockets are gaining popularity: a September 2023 report by 360 Research stated that the “global model rocket market is anticipated to rise at a considerable rate between 2023 and 2030.”
4-H is a youth development program, and locally, 4-H is run through USU Extension. Ashley Durlach-Kondos, a 4-H program assistant, said the rocketry club will fit in well with the two other clubs the program offers: “Moab Cloverbuds,” a cooking and baking club, and “Community Club,” an agriculture club.
“I think that overall, all of these clubs that we have active are all very different,” she said. “But the end goal is bringing the youth of Moab together and giving them skills, whether it’s social skills or a new hobby or maybe a career interest. It’s all about the kids and giving them that time.”
The club’s first meeting will take place on Tuesday, October 10 at 7 p.m. at USU Moab (1850 S. Aggie Boulevard). For more information on how to sign up, contact Richard Codd at coddrc@gmail.com.
