Section 5612 — California Fire Code (Title 24, Part 9)

EXPERIMENTAL HIGH POWER

ROCKETS AND MOTORS

[California Code of Regulations, Title 19, Division 1, §1030-1039]

§980 Definitions:

Experimental High Power Rocket. Non-professional rockets which are propelled by commercially manufactured high- power solid propellant rocket motors.

Experimental High Power Rocket Motor. A State Fire Marshal approved, commercially manufactured rocket pro- pulsion device containing a solid propellant charge wherein all the ingredients are pre-mixed and which produces more than 160 Newton-seconds (36 lb.-seconds) but shall not exceed 10,240 Newton-seconds (2302.2 lb.-seconds) of total impulse.

Article 18. Experimental High Power Rockets and Motors

§1030. General. This article is intended to regulate the sale, storage, construction and use of experimental high power rocket motors and experimental high power rockets.

§1031. Classification and Labeling.

(a) All types of experimental high power rocket motors shall be submitted by a licensed experimental high power rocket motor manufacturer, importer/exporter or wholesaler to the State Fire Marshal for classification.

(b) All motors shall bear the State Fire Marshal seal and the registration number of the licensee. Classified motors con- tained within packages may have the State Fire Marshal seal and registration number on the package, provided that such packages are sealed.

§1032. Experimental High Power Rocket Motor Standards and Use.

(a) Experimental high power rocket motor design and con- struction standards shall comply with all of the following:

(1) The maximum total impulse per rocket motor shall

not exceed 10,240 Newton-seconds (2302.2 lb.-sec- onds).

(2) When more than one rocket motor is utilized, the com-

bined total impulse shall not exceed 20,480 Newton- seconds (4604.4 lb.-seconds).

56-34 2022 CALIFORNIA FIRE CODE

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(b) If an experimental high power rocket is equipped with an experimental high power rocket motor, then the rocket shall:

(1) be constructed of paper, plastic, rubber, aluminum or

wood except that minor components such as screw eyes or motor mounts may be of other light-gauge metals; and

(2) include an effective means or device for returning the

rocket safely to the ground without causing personal injury or property damage; and

(3) The rocket shall not contain any type of explosive or

pyrotechnic warhead of any type. (c) An experimental high power rocket shall not be used as a weapon.

§1033. License Required. No person shall possess, receive, transport, store or launch any experimental high power rocket motor without first securing a valid license as a Pyro- technic Operator—Rockets First, Second or Third Class from the State Fire Marshal. No person shall sell an experimental high power rocket motor to any person unless the seller pos- sesses a valid license as a wholesaler or retailer under this chapter.

§1034. Local Permit Required—Seller. No person shall sell an experimental high power rocket motor without first secur- ing a permit from the authority having jurisdiction. This per- mit shall be in addition to, not in lieu of, a valid license issued by the State Fire Marshal for the sale of these motors. This permit shall be deemed separate from a local permit allowing the launching of rockets utilizing such motors.

§1035. Local Permit Required—Launch.

(a) No experimental high power rocket motor user shall launch any experimental high power rocket motor from any site without first securing a permit from the authority having jurisdiction.

(b) The authority having jurisdiction may require notification by the permittee each time an experimental high power rocket motor is to be launched. It shall be the responsibility of the experimental high power rocket motor user to also secure the permission of the owner of private land when such land is intended to be used as a launch site.

§1036. Launching Facilities.

(a) Experimental high power rocket motors shall be launched from platforms meeting the following specifications:

(1) A launch guide (tube, rod, tower or other suitable

device) shall be used to restrict the horizontal motion of the rocket until flight velocity sufficient to maintain stability during flight is achieved.

(2) A launch angle of not more than twenty degrees (20o)

from the vertical shall be used. (b) Rocket motor launching shall be by remote electrical means only, and under the supervision and control of an indi- vidual properly licensed in accordance with this chapter.

(c) Surface wind at the launch site shall not exceed twenty miles per hour (20 m.p.h.), and visibility above the launching area shall be at least five thousand feet (5,000 ft.).

EXPLOSIVES AND FIREWORKS

(d) The recovery device wadding ejected from the rocket during the launch flight sequence, if used, shall be of flame retardant material meeting the standards of Title 19, Califor- nia Code of Regulations, Chapter 8, Sections 1171 through 1355.

(e) Experimental high power rocket motors shall be launched only during daylight hours unless specifically approved by the authority having jurisdiction.

(f) All personnel, including those conducting the actual launching of the experimental high power rocket motor(s), shall maintain a clear radial distance from the launch plat- form during the countdown and launch, pursuant to the guidelines in Table 18A.

TABLE 18A REQUIRED LAUNCH DISTANCES

Total Impulse of Rocket	Radial Distance From launcher
0-320 Newton-Seconds* 320.01-1280 Newton-Seconds* 1280.01-2560 Newton-Seconds* 2560.01-5120 Newton-Seconds* 5120.01-10240 Newton-Seconds* 10241-20480 Newton-Seconds*	30 feet 150 feet 200 feet 300 feet 500 feet 1000 feet

*Rockets propelled by clusters of motors shall use the distance specified for the next higher impulse category.

§1037. Launch Site Standards.

(a) The launch site shall consist of a launching area and a recovery area. The launching area shall consist of an area surrounding the launching devices a radial distance from the launching device as specified in Table 18A above. The recov- ery area shall consist of the launching area and the minimum area necessary to retrieve the rocket, based on the estimated altitude likely to be achieved by the rocket. These calcula- tions shall take into account the weight of the rocket and the specific type of motor used (or combined total impulse). Table 18B shall be used to determine the minimum launch site dimensions for the various classes of experimental high power rockets.

(b) The launch site shall not be located in any grain field, dry grass, brush- or forest-covered lands.

(c) The launch site shall not contain any buildings or struc- tures, unless specifically approved in advance by the author- ity having jurisdiction, and under no circumstances shall such buildings or structures be less than one thousand five hundred feet (1,500 ft.) from the launch site.

(d) The launch site shall not contain any high voltage electri- cal lines or major highways.

(e) The launch site shall not contain any natural or artifi- cially constructed obstacle deemed by the authority having jurisdiction to pose a hazard during launching.

(f) The launching area shall be located as near as possible to the center of the launch site but in no case less than seven hundred fifty feet (750 ft.) from the boundary of the launch site.

EXPLOSIVES AND FIREWORKS

(g) The launching area shall have appropriate barriers around it such that spectators will be restrained from

encroaching upon it. These barriers may be of any t approved by the authority having jurisdiction. TABLE 18B
*TABLE 18B* *MINIMUM EXPERIMENTAL HIGH POWER* *ROCKET MOTOR LAUNCH SITE STANDARDS*
Maximum Combined Equivalent Motor Type	Minimum Launch Total Impulse	Site Dimensions (feet)
H	320	1,500
I	640	2,500
J	1,280	3,500
K	2,560	5,000
L	5,120	7,000
M	10,240	10,000
N	20,480	15,000

§1038. Testing. At locations approved by the authority hav- ing jurisdiction, experimental high power rocket motors may be ignited on the ground for the purpose of determining their performance. All of the following procedures shall be fol- lowed during the firing of these motors:

(a) The experimental high power rocket motor shall be affixed to a testing device or to an immovable structure in such a manner that the motor will not work itself free during the testing or the experimentation process.

(b) The experimental high power rocket motor shall be ignited only by remotely operated electrical means fully under the control and supervision of the licensed pyrotechnic operator conducting the testing or experimentation.

(c) The exhaust path of the motor shall be cleared of all flam- mable objects prior to its firing.

(d) All persons, whether they are conducting, participating in or observing the testing or experiment, shall stand away from the motor, and particularly its exhaust path, at all times during the test or experiment.

(e) Under no circumstances shall testing or experimentation of experimental high power rocket motors be conducted indoors.

§1039. Supervision and Responsibility. The licensed pyro- technic operator in charge of the launch site or test sites shall supervise the arming of every experimental high power rocket motor, the launching of all motors, and the disposal of all unwanted or defective motors. The licensed pyrotechnic operator shall also be responsible for the safety of all specta- tors or observers and all other persons connected with the launching of experimental high power rocket motors.