Bruce Lee - scroll down for rocket projects, TV shows & more
CSXT Story
This is the rest of the story behind the first amateur team to launch a rocket to space in 2004 narrated by Bruce Lee who was the first team member of the CSXT team. In 2004 a small team of rocketry enthusiasts and aerospace professionals designed and built the first non-government rocket that went beyond the Karmen Line (international definition of space) of 100 kilometers (62.14 miles), to an apogee of over 72 miles.
Bruce Lee - My Work
This site and story is being maintained by the original team member Bruce Lee, the rocket guy and not the karate guy. My rocket journey began in October of 1957. I was 5 years old and my dad took me outside to look at Sputnik with his 8" reflector telescope. It changed my life. I went from crayon drawing pictures dogs and cats to drawings of rockets and satellites. I intensely followed the space program from that point on. In 1964 I built and flew my first rocket. I wanted to be an astronaut or fighter pilot but wearing glasses at the time negated both of those dreams. I continued building and flying model rockets until I graduated high school. I went on to get a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration (I ran several businesses in High school). I rediscovered rocketry in 1987 while helping my girl friends son do a school rocket project. In 1991 I discovered the Tripoli Rocketry Association, joined, passed my Class B certification and formed Tripoli Nebraska, a prefecture of the national association. In 1994 I ran for the Board of Directors and became the Treasurer, a position I held until 2018. I was awarded a Life Membership for my contributions to the hobby. In 1996 I met Ky Michaelson, who at the time was setting amateur altitude records. We became friends and in 1997 I was a team member on his first attempt to fly a rocket to space. Out of that attempt Ky built a team of people, CSXT Civilian Space eXploration Team, to build and fly the first amateur rocket to space. We finally accomplished a 72 mile apogee flight in May 2004. We did a successful 10 year reunion flight to space in 2014. This web page is the history of those efforts.
Porta Potty Rocket
Bruce Lee and Ky Michaleson fly a Porta Potty for Discovery Channel show "Rocket Challenge." Photos
Flaming Coffin of Death rocket
Bruce Lee and Ky Michaleson fly a Coffin for Discovery Channel show "Large Dangerous Rocket Ships." Photos
Junk Yard Wars - Final Episode Shot In England
For the Discovery Channel show "Junk Yard Wars" Bruce Lee was the Team Rocket Expert and Ky Michaelson was an Emcee and Judge. The Teams had to build and fly a Junk made rocket from the Junk Yard. The competition was which team could fly an Ostrich Egg the highest without breaking it. Bruce Lee team won. Click for photos.
Ky Michaelson, Bruce Lee, Matt Murphy and Jim Hoffman (CSXT Team members) Fly a Car for Discovery Channel "Master Blasters"
Another fun Discovery Channel show "Master Blasters." Ky was actually the lead for this show and designed how we were going to make the car fly. We had 2 Cessaroni 225 motors that are used to launch naval cruise missiles out of the bay on a ship. Click for photos.
1/3 Scale Mercury Redstone
Bruce Lee, Ky Michaleson and the Tripoli Nebraska team build and fly a 1/3 scale Mercury Redstone of the rocket Alan Shepard rode to space for the Discovery Channel show "Extreme Machines." Alan Shepard's daughter Laura, attended and pushed the launch button. Photos
Bruce Lee Bomb Pop Rocket
Bruce Lee built a rocket resembling a Bomb Pop popsicle. It was 12" in diameter and 24 feet tall and flew on 2 M1315 rocket motors. Photos
World Record Tallest Model Rocket - 54 feet Tall - Featured on Discovery Channel show "Rocket Challenge"
Bruce Lee, Kevin Rich, Greg Rothman, Kevin Trojanowski and Larry Drake designed built and flew "Stumpy" the 54 foot tall model rocket on 3 AeroTech J260 motors. Click for Photos.
Bruce Lee and Crazy Clusters - 280 Estes A10-0's "Minimax", 303 Estes D11-P's "Maxi-D" and 312 Estes C6-0's "Cluster Duck
Larry Drake and Bruce Lee did the first cluster record with "Minimax" with 280 Estes A10-0's and got 269 to light. Then Bruce Lee and Larry Drake tried to break that record with "Maxi-D" using 303 Estes D11-P's (M3333 equivalent), only about 150 motors lit. Then Bruce Lee and Jerry Amhrein set the new record with 312 Estes C6-0's and one J390. 298 C6-0's and the J390 lit for a total of 299 motors. Click for Photos. Click for YouTube video.
Bruce Lee life stories
NHRA Drag Racing
I spent some time working on a NHRA professional Top Fuel Team "TNT Motorsports" with a team owned by Terry Totten (he still races today). That teams race car was also partially sponsored by me in the name of "CSXT." I also spent time crewing for Mr. Magoo another professional team and also got a chance to crew on the "Green Mamba" Jet Car. Click here for more.
Bruce Lee life stories
Hot Air Ballooning
A friend and colleague of mine had a Hot Air Balloon and I was a crew member for his team. The Balloon was called Kryptonite, notice the lime green square panels, that represented the kryptonite. Picture was taken at the Albuquerque International Balloon Festival in New Mexico. Click here for more.