COSROCS Equipment Trailer Theft!

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The COSROCS equipment trailer was stolen!

On Sunday, May 26th, between 11:30 and 11:45am, a dark SUV that is most likely a GMC Yukon XL or Chevrolet Suburban entered the Academy School District 20 Center for Modern Learning parking lot, where COSROCS was storing the trailer. The SUV occupants cut two locks off of the trailer hitch and drove off with it.

Unfortunately, we did not discover the theft until ten days later.

View the school surveillance images here.

The Police Report number is 2024-09001573. CSPD can do little more than register the trailer's license plate and VIN with a national stolen vehicle database unless there is a direct sighting or a strong lead is reported.

News outlets are helping to publicize our loss — Thank You!
Watch the KRDO News segment from June 11th here.
Watch the KKTV News segments from June 14th here, here, and here.

This is a devastating blow to our club!

We are a very small group of volunteer rocketry enthusiasts on a shoestring budget with a big mission. We host two monthly free public model rocket launches. We support multiple school groups, hundreds of students, every year. Many of these students are experiencing model rocketry and rocket science for the first time.
We do all of this on just a few hundred dollars per year!

All of our launch and safety equipment was in the trailer!

The trailer contained (Replacement costs noted):
— Our custom self-designed and constructed 30-rod relay launch control system ($2000)
— One heavy duty steel launch pad capable of launching Level 2 High Power rockets ($800)
— Over 100 stainless steel launch rods from 1/8" to 1/2", as well as a 6-foot '1010' rail ($250)
— Two folding tables ($50 each)
— Three pressurized water fire extinguishers ($175 each)
— One 5-gallon 'Indian Pump' backpack fire extinguisher ($200)
— Safety boundary supplies - ropes and stanchions ($300)
— One set of automotive jack stands ($75)
As well as:
— Two 12-gallon tubs of model rocket kits for sale (Est. $300 club revenue)
— Two 15-gallon tubs of club T-shirts, including the popular 'Rocket Scientist' and tie-dye
'Peace Love & Rockets' shirts (Est. $500 club revenue)

COSROCS Needs Your Donations!

As a very small group, we do not have the financial resources to recover quickly from this loss. We need support from YOU, the Colorado Springs and surrounding communities who have benefited from our services over the past 30+ years and who believe in our mission, to help us get back on our feet.

If fifty people could make a donation of $100 we woud be well on our way to a full recovery!

There are three ways that you can make donations to COSROCS:

— We have a GoFundMe page now!

— Send checks, made out to 'Colorado Springs Rocket Society', to:
       Dave Virga, President
       Colorado Springs Rocket Society
       1695 Rockhurst Blvd
       Colorado Springs, CO 80918-8171

— You may also hand-deliver donations to a senior club member at any club event if you prefer.

We already have plans for a new launch control system, so our priorities are on a replacement trailer and safety equipment. We expect to need at least $8000.

Please spread the word about our loss, especially with any larger organizations that may be willing to donate to our cause! We do have a federal EIN (84-1162934) if that helps.

Please be on the lookout for our trailer and equipment!

Yes, it's been a long time since the theft, but there may still be a chance, however slim, that our equipment and even the trailer are still around. It is likely to have been dumped somewhere, but some parts with value may also show up in scrap yards or pawn shops.

For the trailer, here are some things to look for:
- It's a PACE brand 6x10 foot white cargo trailer, single axle, with a spare tire mounted to the tongue.
- The license plate, if still present, is 770-QSK.
- There are eye bolts mounted to the tops of each wheel fender.
- There is an outward dent on the right side, forward of the wheel, about mid-way up.
   Trailer Photo 1 and Trailer Photo 2
If you see it, CALL THE POLICE at 719-444-7000! (Wait through all of the prompts for a real person)

For the launch system components, here are some things to look for:
- PVC pipe segments, about 5 feet long, with stenciled numbers and drill chucks (6 per segment)
   Launch Rack Example 1 and Example 2 and Example 3
- Rectangular metal assemblies, about 4 feet long, with grey metal boxes mounted to one side and some with 'COSROCS' stencils
   Relay Assembly Example 1 and Example 2
- A plastic briefcase, painted orange; the inside has a panel with lots of switches, buttons, and LED lights
   Launch Controller Photo before being painted orange
- A dark grey/black medium sized suitcase, containing electrical wires
- Plastic storage bins, 12-15 gallon size, either clear or solid blue
- A full size plastic table with folding legs, and orange duct tape around its edges
- A medium sized plastic table with folding legs, and pink duct tape around its edges
   Plastic Tables Photo
- A large, heavy, black steel tripod launch pad
   Heavy Duty Launch Pad Photo
Here are photos of the equipment stored inside the trailer:
   Photo 1, Photo 2, Photo 3, Photo 4, Photo 5
If you find any of these components, please contact COSROCS!

Finally, study the photos of the SUV that towed the trailer! Keep an eye out as you're driving around for any full size SUV that resembles this vehicle.
If you see such a vehicle, try to get a license plate number and call the police and report it as a suspicious vehicle potentially related to this theft.

Thank You For Your Support!

Dave Virga, COSROCS President, (719)237-4375