Saturday, May 20, 2006, 09:27 PM
Today we broke ground at the Gulf Coast Regional Spaceport. During the day we cleared the land, built the forms for the test stand, and laid down the first few feet of the blast wall. We had a big team at the site: Ten students from Brazoswood High School
Seven Civil Engineering students from the University of Houston
One teacher, one parent, one bobcat driver, and five ASA engineers.
The University of Houston Civil Engineering students led the day's activities, teaching and showing the high school students how to level the ground, build and reinforce the form, and how to build the wall. Their team was crucial to the day's success.
Here is what the site looked like at the beginning:
Mr. Weaver's family company donated the use of a bobcat for the initial digging. This was a huge help. Thanks, Mr. Weaver!
Of course, some of the digging had to be done by hand:
In this picture, the UofH students are working with the BHS students to build the form:
Here the team is laying the foundation for the cinderblock blast wall:
Mixing mortar:
Starting the layers of cinderblocks:
Big action shot:
Here is what he test site looked like at the end of the day. It is ready for concrete, but we were exhausted. Pouring day is next week!
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