From - Sun Jul  4 23:26:38 1999
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Date: Fri, 18 Jun 1999 22:57:43 -0400
From: Michael Naunton <mmn@interactive.net>
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To: arocket@nmt.edu
Subject: Buying big motors (CATS)
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I was looking into CATS prize possibilities today.  The Viper V motor
from Specific Impulse looked like a really promising start.  Back of the
envelope calculations showed it had a chance of boosting a dart to the
required altitude.

I gave them a call...

  I'd like to buy a Viper Five please.

  You need an ATF Low-Ex.  

  Fine, I've got one, how much?

  Call Orbital Sciences, we just load them.

  Thanks, bye.

I call Orbital Sciences ("bringing the benefits of space down to
earth".) 

Ring....

  Hello, I'd like to buy a Viper Five please.  How much and what lead
  time?

  Who are you? Why do you want one?

  Michael Naunton, Citizen.  CATS prize.

  We don't sell to CATS teams, and wish you would all stop calling us.
  Plus, you can't afford it, and we don't think it's in the company's 
  best interest to sell to rocket hobbyists.

So much for the benefits of space on earth!

A few questions:

1)  Are any US suppliers willing to sell decent sized, well-tested 
boosters to random citizens?

2)  My LEUP lets me import, right?  Has anyone considered importing a
surplus foreign sounding rocket or similar?

-- Michael