L1 Certification: Mission Accomplished¶
24 January 2026, Enköping, Sweden
Sipsik Goes to the Sky¶
In the Estonian cartoon, a girl named Anu and her brother Mart build a cardboard rocket hoping to send their beloved toy Sipsik to the moon. Now my daughters Liza (5) and Elsa (2) are learning how we actually send rockets to the sky.
The blue rocket named SIPSIK flew today.
The Road to Sweden¶
Why Sweden for an Estonian's L1 certification? Practical reasons:
- Motor logistics - Rocket motors cannot be transported on Tallink passenger ferries (blanket ban on dangerous substances). Must purchase locally.
- Family - Daughter lives in Stockholm
- Active club - SMRK (Swedish Model Rocket Club) runs regular launch events
Took the car on the Tallinn-Stockholm ferry, then drove to Enköping.
The launch was on 24 January as originally planned.
Launch Day¶
Temperature around -5°C. Snow on the ground. Classic Swedish winter.
The Pivot¶
I arrived with a CATS Vega flight computer and a friend's data logger, planning dual deployment with electronic ejection. Then reality set in:
- Cold weather - Around -5°C
- Swedish safety rules - Ejection charges must be ground-tested before flight
- Certification flight - Keep it simple, reduce variables
Decision: pivot to motor ejection with single parachute recovery.
Delay Adjustment Math¶
The H128W-14A comes with 14 second factory delay. For my predicted 208m apogee, I calculated needing about 6 seconds.
Plan: Drill out 8 seconds → 14 - 8 = 6s delay
Reality: Unknowingly had the +2s disk in the delay adjustment tool during drilling.
Actual delay: ~8 seconds (14 - 8 + 2 = 8)
Lesson learned: know your tools before launch day.
Flight¶
First attempt. The certificate comment reads "Beautiful low flight" - acknowledging both the successful flight and the lower-than-expected altitude.
CATS Vega recorded: 140.8 meters
Lower than the predicted 208m. The likely cause: unplanned extra weight. Two flight computers, extra LiPo batteries, and various small items added up. Weight matters - roughly 30% altitude reduction.
The ~8 second delay (instead of planned 6) meant deployment happened past apogee during descent. Still successful - the rocket was descending slowly enough.
Recovery¶
Landed nearby, easy to find. No damage to rocket.
The Payload¶
We had a small Sipsik doll on board. I explained to Liza that her real doll is too valuable to risk - what if the rocket falls down? - so this is the "Sipsik of Sipsik", representing her real one.
She was delighted.
The Certification¶
Rolf Örell signed my certificate. When he looked at my TRA number - 38105 - he noted it's grown tenfold since his own number: 3728.
Rolf is significant in Tripoli history:
- First Tripoli Prefect in Europe
- Tripoli Lifetime Member
Special thanks also to Peter Steen and Anton Vannesjö for their help and guidance throughout the day.
Lessons Learned¶
-
Know your tools - The Aerotech delay adjustment tool has components (like the +2s disk) that affect the result. Understand everything before launch day.
-
Swedish launch requirements - Ejection charges require ground testing. Plan for motor ejection as fallback, or arrive prepared to test.
-
Weight budget discipline - Every "small" addition compounds. Two flight computers instead of one, extra batteries, extra hardware. The ~500g over budget cost 30% altitude.
-
Motor procurement - Tallink passenger ferries have blanket ban on dangerous substances. No procedure exists, no exceptions. For future Swedish launches: buy motors locally or find cargo transport alternatives.
-
Simplify for certification - The goal is successful flight, not maximum complexity. Pivoting to motor ejection was the right call.
What's Next¶
Five days after the L1 flight, I passed the Tripoli L2 written exam:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Date | 27 January 2026 |
| Certificate # | 2343 |
Next milestone: L2 certification flight with a J, K, or L motor. Target date: 7 February 2026.
Motor ordered (AeroTech J420R-14A), casings purchased (38/720, 29/180). Now waiting for shipping confirmation.
The journey continues.
Flight Data Summary¶
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Date | 24 January 2026 |
| Location | Enköping, Sweden |
| Event | SMRK Launch Day |
| Motor | AeroTech H128W-14A |
| Rocket | Apogee Peregrine "SIPSIK" |
| Length | 175 cm |
| Diameter | 100 mm |
| Liftoff weight | 2350 g |
| Predicted altitude | 208 m |
| Actual altitude | 140.8 m |
| Recovery | Motor ejection, single chute |
| Certifying authority | Rolf Örell (TRA# 3728) |
| Result | L1 CERTIFIED |
Tools for Home Testing¶
For ground testing at home, I 3D printed mass-equivalent motor dummies:
| Motor | Real Weight | Dummy Material |
|---|---|---|
| H128W | 208 g | PLA 100% infill + steel rod |
| J420R | 635 g | PLA 100% infill + steel rod |
PLA prints come out 20-25% light. An 8mm hole allows inserting steel rod (~0.4 g/mm) for weight adjustment:
- H128W: ~100-130mm of 8mm rod needed
- J420R: ~300-400mm of 8mm rod needed
Useful for verifying CG position, testing fit, and practicing handling without pyrotechnics.