A lot of people don't realize my brother-in-law is quite the rocket scientist
Kudos to Tim Pickens, rocket scientist extraordinaire, and my brother in law, for yet another article, this time in Air and Space Smithsonian.
http://www.airspacemag.com/issues/2007/june-july/In_Thrust_We_Trust.php?page=1
Aside from being in the Guiness book of world records (highest altitude by an amateur rocket), and designing the propulsion system for Burt Rutan's winning X-Prize craft, Space Ship One, Tim is amazing in that he is self-taught.
Every once in a while, someone that knows aeronautics finds out that Tim is my brother-in-law, and it always generates conversation. The guy is up in Huntsville, Alabama, running his company, Orion Propulsion, and I'm sure he'd be happy to build you a rocket, if you are so inclined :-)
It's funny when I see him on the Discovery Channel or The Learning Channel, because I remember when he was merely blowing stuff up in his back yard, or strapping various rocket-like things on various crafts, toys, or anything that wasn't already tied down. Or when he cut a VW and a Pickup in half, and welded them together, and drove it around for a year. But I digress, and we're happy he lived through the early years....
Nice job Tim, although don't be offended if I still back up when I hear you yell "hey y'all! Watch This!"
