Back of a Pickup

Photograph by NGC and Flight 33

Rog and friend sit on back of pickup. Using a scientific process, the team was able to destroy an incoming object before it reached the targeted area.

Building a Trebuchet

Photograph by NGC and Flight 33

Rog drills into wood. For the project, a trebuchet will be made to simulate the trajectory of a comet hurdling toward Earth.

Sawing a Keg

Photograph by NGC and Flight 33

After constructing the frame of the trebuchet, the team decides to use a keg filled with water as a counterweight.

Chain Harness on Beer Keg

Photograph by NGC and Flight 33

A chain harness on the beer keg being used as the counterweight for the swivel arm on the trebuchet.

Welding Chain

Photograph by NGC and Flight 33

Pete welds the chain connections to the beer keg.

Plan on the Chalkboard

Photograph by NGC and Flight 33

Travis and Pete outline a plan on the chalkboard. One method of eliminating an incoming comet is explosives. For their frozen watermelon experiment, this scales the explosives to approximately one in one hundred firecrackers.

Trebuchet Schematics

Photograph by NGC and Flight 33

Travis goes over trebuchet schematics with Pete, Daddy, and Michael.

Swivel Arm

Photograph by NGC and Flight 33

Rog places the swivel arm on the trebuchet.

Swivel Arm with Beer Keg

Photograph by NGC and Flight 33

Travis, Michael, and Rog test out swivel arm with beer keg.

Talking in a Field

Photograph by NGC and Flight 33

As their watermelon experiment continues, the team reflects on what might be the best and most efficient method of destroying a deadly Earth-bound comet.

The Buggy

Photograph by NGC and Flight 33

Michael, Rog, Travis, and Pete move trebuchet with buggy.

Setting up the Trebuchet

Photograph by NGC and Flight 33

Rog sets up the trebuchet as Travis and Michael watch.

Watermelons in Wheelbarrow

Photograph by NGC and Flight 33

Watermelons in wheelbarrow for launching on the trebuchet

Shooting Shotguns

Photograph by NGC and Flight 33

Travis, Michael, Pete, and Daddy aim shotguns. The theory of missile defense is to send a bunch of projectiles in front of the incoming missile. Hopefully one of those will hit it or maybe a bunch of them will hit it and destroy it. A really easy way to simulate that is with shotguns.

Travis Aiming

Photograph by NGC and Flight 33

Close-up of Travis as he takes aim at a watermelon that is being launched into the air

Aiming at Watermelons

Photograph by NGC and Flight 33

Pete and Michael take aim at launched watermelons.

Launching the Trebuchet

Photograph by NGC and Flight 33

Rog lets the trebuchet launch.

Watermelon Splatters

Photograph by NGC and Flight 33

A watermelon splatters onto the Rocket City landing board that was spray-painted as a map of Alabama and surrounding states.

Watermelon and Explosive

This watermelon is about to be blown up.

Making Target Map

Photograph by NGC and Flight 33

Travis is making a target map. For the purposes of their experiment, a map of the southeastern United States was constructed to the scale of the comet. Right in the center is Rocket City.

Holding Shotguns

Photograph by NGC and Flight 33

Travis, Michael, Pete, and Daddy hold shotguns. In this approach, the team tests the efficiency of using shotguns to destroy a watermelon before it crashes into a map of the southeastern Unites States. This method has similarities to missile defense.