Dozens of children and family members set their eyes to the skies in Bellevue’s American Heroes Park Saturday, thanks to The Heartland Organization of Rocketry, or THOR.

Organized by THOR President and OneOmaha North Plant Area Manager Roy Tyson and an army of volunteers, the Family Fun Day saw nearly 200 flights, including a custom-built Lozier+CASI rocket of Tyson’s own construction. Lozier staff played a part in making the event happen, with THOR receiving money from the Lozier Community Grant program in 2023. A number of Lozier employees attended the event, bringing loved ones to learn about rocketry.

Saturday’s gathering was designed as a setup to the specialty, showing the science and setup behind model rocketry. Volunteers spent hours preparing the rockets for the weekend flyers, who performed the final preparations before taking the craft to be loaded on the firing range. THOR volunteers assisted with the entire process, including securing the range and launching the craft with onlookers at a safe distance.

THOR is a group of educators, hobbyists, students and others passionate about rocketry. Through educational programs and local launches, the team teaches the science and safety of the craft, in hopes of sharing new skills and a potential life-long passion for those taking part.

Roy Tyson’s custom-built Lozier+CASI rocket, which launched several times Saturday.

If you missed Saturday’s event, THOR has plenty of events for flyers of all skillsets, including an Intro to Model Rocketry Workshop taking place in May. Click here for details.