The mention of amateur rocketry reminds me of something funny about 45 years ago.
I visited a small telephone company in South Alabama. The secretary told me the president and another two employees were out in the office park setting off a rocket.
I stepped outside just in time to see them set it off. The rocket made it about 10 feet and then turned toward another building. All three of them took off running.
It didn’t engender a whole lot of confidence in Graceba Telephone Company.
That reminds me of my dad. After seeing the flight of solid fuel rocket hardening with voids, he made me build a "launch bunker".
I hadn't gotten around to the roof yet, when he was sitting inside with me one afternoon to test an aluminum body rocket.
As it exited the launcher, it lost a stabilizing fin, or two, and tipped over in our direction. It flew directly over our heads. He immediately shoved me down, jumping on top of me, in protection mode.
We found the rocket body wreckage later, and we also found a small oak tree sapling the rocket had cut in half!
October Sky Official Trailer - Not me, but brings back memories: