Southern Arizona Rocketry Association

Desert Heat 2023!


We are happy to return Desert Heat to Southern Arizona on April 1 - 3, 2022.  Registration is now open and we encourage you to register early.  Through March 15, we are taking pre-orders for the 2023 Desert Heat T-shirt, so register early to  ensure you can get one of the cool Desert Heat 2023 T-shirts! We need at least 40 T-shirt orders; if we don't reach the minimum order quantity, we will refund T-shirt pre-orders. The  final artwork design is to the right.


Starting with the inaugural Desert Heat in 2005, SARA has traditionally hosted this 2 day model rocketry festival at the main TIMPA facility near the town of Picture Rocks. The event is open to the public, features flights on motors up to M power, a night launch and support for more low power and high power model rocket launches than our usual monthly launches. Ceiling for class 2 high power rocket flights will be 5,000 feet above ground level during the day, and 3,000 feet after dark. We'll have food available on site, and 2 model rocket vendors will deliver orders to the launch. Overnight tent and RV camping are available.


Schedule of Events

     Friday, April 1: Volunteer Appreciation Launch

 1:00 p.m. 

 Set up the range
 3:00 p.m.  Open range to volunteers who helped
 keep SARA flying this year!
 5:00 p.m.  Pot luck dinner for volunteers 
 6:00 p.m.

 Night launch for volunteers who helped
 keep SARA flying this year!

 9 p.m.  Launch concludes for the day



     Saturday, April 2

 8:00 a.m.  Check in & Registration opens at the launch site
 8:00 a.m.  Range opens to all registered flyers
 Hourly  Birds of a Feather flights...bring your classic models to fly with others...V2, Red Max, etc!
 Noon Remote control plane demo and buddy boxing
 4 p.m. Night launch rocket workshop...prep your rocket to fly at night!
 6:00 p.m.  Night launch begins!
 9:00 p.m.  Launch concludes for the day 



     Sunday, April 3

 8:00 a.m.  Check in & Registration opens at the launch site
 8:00 a.m.  Range opens to all flyers
 Noon  Launch concludes. Please help with cleanup!


Registration 

Register online to save time at the registration desk on the day of the launch.

Registration Type  Member Cost  Non-Member Cost 
 2 Day Registration  $30  $40
 Spectator Registration  Free  Free 
 Camping (for the whole weekend)  $30  $30
 Desert Heat T-shirt (varies, depending on size) $30to $34.50  $30 to $34.50

Anticipated Pandemic Precautions

We ask that you stay home if you have symptoms of a respiratory infection or other illness.


Volunteers Make this Happen

Desert Heat only happens because of our volunteer support, so all fliers must work a 2 hour shift to keep the range running.  We have jobs for all experience levels, so let us know how you'd like to help during pre-registration, or check out our volunteer page for details. 

What to Expect

Deset Heat can support large projects up to M power!

Tent and RV camping is available for $30 per family.
NO FIRES are permitted this year, though gas cooking is OK.

Saturday night we'll fly after dark--rockets must be properly lighted.

SARA Video from Desert heat 2016

The Details

There are plenty more details about the launch under the Desert Heat menu in the upper right of the SARA website.  Check out the event overviewdirections for getting thererocket and food vendor informationcamping opportunities, and range procedures.

Copyright © 2022 Southern Arizona Rocketry Association (SARA)
SARA is a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation based in Tucson, Arizona

Powered by Wild Apricot Membership Software