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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Nazi POWS once held at Camp White near Medford Emergency Services, March 30 Since You Asked: Fire station isn't gobbling up park Pear Blossom Festival kicks off with scholarship award, Junior Royalty crowning Medford woman killed in Highway 140 motorcycle crash Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Emergency Services, March 30 Emergency services, March 29 Cottage Grove man dies in Rogue River boating accident Emergency services, March 28 State police: Grants Pass shooter tried to run victim off the road Politics and Elections Jackson County Commissioners plan no tax on marijuana for one year Arthur I. Cyr: Iran – a crisis without end Arthur I. Cyr: South Korea represents long-term triumph – for them and for US Special election: Jackson County voters OK marijuana tax Ex-Merkley aide chosen as Oregon secretary of state Education Which comes first: The rocket or the egg? Medford School District one of most accident-prone in state Dianne Williamson: College admissions mania ill-advised Oregon legislators may end fifth-year high school programs Phoenix High officer looks back on varied career Environment Rogue Valley lions on their way to California Corps hopes to clear Lost Creek Lake of debris Beetles taking toll on Ashland pines Mt. Ashland Ski Area to host party March 28 Controversial asphalt plant in Talent wins county planning approval State News Bend police kill cougar above popular hiking trail 5 things to know about Oregon's gun-control bill Feds celebrate sage grouse deal with Oregon ranchers Timber payments extension passes U.S. House $15 minimum wage bill dead in Oregon Senate Nation - World Obituaries Claudine Barbara Pollard Alexander Edwards Ray E. Kniffen, Sr. Lois Emmerette (Wright) Huntley James "Jim" Peter Duman Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Shareable Sports Latest Stories South Carolina earns first Final Four berth Only blue bloods need apply Familiar Feeling Walker wins hometown Texas Open Beavers take series finale over Mustangs Varsity 541 College Sports South Carolina earns first Final Four berth Only blue bloods need apply Familiar Feeling Beavers take series finale over Mustangs No. 7 Spartans Final Four-bound after OT win Pro Sports Walker wins hometown Texas Open Blazers beat Nuggets, move closer to division title Walker gains lead over Spieth in Texas Aldridge propels Blazers past Suns Warriors match record with 60th victory Community Sports Business Latest Stories After being sidelined by blindness, Stan Moore returns to the bike business in Medford Mandatory paid sick leave gets mixed reviews Blog: How to Practice Patience Ride & Drive: 2015 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Medford shoppers wonder about impacts of Costco on Trader Joe's parking lot Real Estate News East McAndrews Road sees a resurgence in commercial projects Business briefs: March 7 New construction prices jump 18.2 percent in Jackson County People In Business People in Business, March 26, 2015 Transportation Rogue Disposal plans natural gas fueling site Alaska, United Express boost Medford airport to record February CEO Rieder leaving Erickson March 31 Agriculture Broth maker leaves San Diego for Medford Harry & David announces new president Opinion Latest Letters to the Editor, March 30 Other Views: Sage grouse listing would be unfortunate Kathleen Parker: A leap of faith — into thin air Our View: Phoenix lion sanctuary was a missed opportunity Letters to the Editor, March 29 Editorials Other Views: Sage grouse listing would be unfortunate Our View: Phoenix lion sanctuary was a missed opportunity Other Views: Gun background check bill won't make us safer Our View: Some police videos should be released Our View: Public records rules should apply to lawmakers, too Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, March 30 Letters to the Editor, March 29 Letters to the Editor, March 28 Letters to the Editor, March 27 Letters to the Editor, March 26 Columns Kathleen Parker: A leap of faith — into thin air George Will: Remembrance of Clintons past Dana Milbank: The end of the White House's insularity? Guest Opinion: How to end the influence of money in elections Charles Krauthammer: The GOP racing form, first edition Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: How to end the influence of money in elections Guest Opinion: How schools teach U.S. history raises hackles Guest Opinion: Guest Opinion: Raise your voice against child abuse Guest Opinion: Central Point Cemetery needs work and city action Lifestyle Latest stories Mail Tribune 100: March 30, 1915 Review: From past into present in OSF's 'Long Day's Journey' Prepare the beds for summer vegetables Pet of the Week: Spot Aging is less pleasant if you succumb to the number Food Community blog: Try slightly smoky baked beans instead of refried App Finder: Best barbecue apps Health Watch: It’s OK to have a cheat day Frugal foodie Joanna McQuillan Weeks: Almond cookies pass the test Home and Garden Prepare the beds for summer vegetables Hot tub: The perfect centerpiece for outdoor living Garden Cameos: Welcome spring to the garden Paul Rogers: Ground unworkable, despite spring’s arrival Home Help: How green is your house? Health Community blog: How to Get Rid of a Tension Headache St. Mary's student helps others with diabetes Community blog: Sleep Tight: Making Your Bed, Body and Mind Ready for Rest Health Watch: 5 tips for seasonal allergy relief A better bedtime Hiking Biking Faith Religion briefs: Friday, March 27 Religion briefs Religion News: Presbyterian Church gives approval on same-sex marriage Religion briefs: Friday, March 13 More religion events in the Rogue Valley Milestones and Achievements Haga-Parks Exercise helps special-needs kids adjust to airport procedures Engagement: Workman-Wright Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories Here's Tempo's top five picks for live entertainment this week The 2015 Rising Stars music competition ends with its final round on the Britt stage in Jacksonville Live Music in Local Clubs Laurie Lewis and Kathy Kallick pay tribute to Arkansas bluegrass duo Vern Williams and Ray Park Next Stage Repertory presents 'Educating Rita' at the Craterian Theater Theater Review: From past into present in OSF's 'Long Day's Journey' ‘A Dream of Red Pavilions’ at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival Review: Education and its discontents Next Stage Repertory presents 'Educating Rita' at the Craterian Theater Eugene O'Neill's 'Long Day's Journey into Night' opens at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival Music Futurebirds play the Brickroom in Ashland The 2015 Rising Stars music competition ends with its final round on the Britt stage in Jacksonville Live Music in Local Clubs Laurie Lewis and Kathy Kallick pay tribute to Arkansas bluegrass duo Vern Williams and Ray Park The Farr Side: Lines are blurred with theft of Marvin Gaye’s classic groove Community Events Rogue Valley artist Linda Evans' pastel paintings capture landscapes of Southern Oregon Ashland Independent Film Festival announces this year's lineup OSF Hip-Hop Poetry Open Mic Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhibits by regional artists Jesse Lawson and Joe Moxley host 'Barkeeper' Dining Restaurant Inspections: March 29 Basque-inspired cuisine at Eleven in Ashland Parsing the meaning behind wine medals and scores Restaurant Inspections: Sunday, March 22 Jasmine Thai Cuisine Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obits Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Magazines/Special Sections Business Services NEWS NOW Nazi POWS once held at Camp White near Medford ... Medford woman killed in Highway 140 motorcycle crash ... In-N-Out has the urge to build more Oregon restaurants ... Nazi POWS once held at Camp White near Medford ... Medford woman killed in Highway 140 motorcycle crash ... In-N-Out has the urge to build more Oregon restaurants ... SCIENCE Which comes first: The rocket or the egg? North Medford students blast off in national competition By Thomas Moriarty Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Thomas Moriarty Mail Tribune Posted Mar. 28, 2015 @ 5:07 pm By Thomas Moriarty Mail Tribune Posted Mar. 28, 2015 @ 5:07 pm » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> As NASA begins laying the groundwork for an eventual manned mission to Mars, a group of North Medford High School students on Saturday were planning an extraterrestrial journey of their own for a very different passenger: an egg. "Last time it got a little bit scrambled," said North Medford astronomy teacher Robert Black, chuckling as he watched several students assemble a cardboard rocket more than 2 feet tall at the Ken Denman Wildlife Area outside White City. Black said this is the third team he's coached in the Team America Rocketry Challenge, a national competition for high school students that's been going on for more than a decade. The program, sponsored by the National Association of Rocketry along with other private and government partners, puts out a different list of flight time and height requirements every year that competitors have to meet to qualify for the national competition in Virginia and a chance at more than $60,000 in cash and scholarships. One requirement, however, is consistent year to year: Carry an egg aloft and return it to earth intact. Model rocketry was made popular by companies such as Estes, which manufactures kits and black powder rocket engines for enthusiasts. But competition rules, Black said, require teams to manufacture every part of the rocket themselves except for the engine. "They 3-D-printed the nose cone and, originally, the fins," he said. Team members also used a rocketry-specific software program on one of the school's computers that allowed them to calculate their rocket's trajectory and make design adjustments accordingly. Student Levi Sinclair, the team's leader, said they spent at least 10 hours working on the rocket in recent weeks. "We spent a lot of the time on the simulations," he said. Black said the students involved in the rocketry competition tend to be the more advanced students in the school's science classes. NAR's rules prevent teachers from helping with the construction or design of the rocket beyond facilitating the team's ideas.  "It's all their decisions," Black said. "Really, they're all on their own." The 2015 contest rules require the rocket to reach 800 feet and have a launch-to-landing time of between 46 and 48 seconds. Any flight time shorter or greater, Black says, results in a penalty. The rocket's altitude is tracked by an onboard altimeter. Only the top 100 teams nationwide will make the cut for nationals. Volunteer David Bloomsness joined the NAR specifically to evaluate the team for the competition, which requires a judge not directly involved with the school to keep score. "I've wanted to do this since I was a kid, but I grew up in Southern California and they wouldn't ship rocket engines to Southern California at the time," he said. The team's first countdown ended in silence, the rocket still sitting on its launch rod, stymied by a bad igniter. Swapping out the igniter, the students stepped back, counted down again and pressed the button. After a couple of seconds, smoke and flames shot out from beneath the rocket's fins before it soared skyward, disappearing in a trail of smoke. After a few more seconds, the payload section of the rocket came spinning back into view beneath a small parachute.  "Seven seconds short, which is 28 points (deducted)," Bloomsness said. But, retrieving the payload section, the team found a silver lining: The egg was still intact. Reach reporter Thomas Moriarty at 541-776-4471, or by email at [email protected] . Follow him at @ThomasDMoriarty .  By Thomas Moriarty Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Thomas Moriarty Mail Tribune Posted Mar. 28, 2015 @ 5:07 pm » Comment or view comments /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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