It is legal to build your own rockets and the fuel for them. It is however; considerably more regulated than is apparent on the surface.
http://www.a2zhobbies.com/rocket_info2.htmlHas a pretty good list of A through D solid rockets.
Getting above that is another story.
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/launches/rocketry_future_000823.htmlhttp://www.space.com/missionlaunches/rocketry_security_030306.htmlOur favorite friends the ATF are at the heart of the propellent issue. Yet another power and money grab on their part.
"As a result of the new rules adopted by the ATF, hobbyists that want to continue to handle and fly rocket motors with propellant amounts greater than 62.5 grams will be able to do so by applying for a permit, undergoing a background check, paying a $25 fee and getting fingerprinted."
Oh and then you get into the NFA destructive device stamps.
Let us not forget that the Homeland security act of 2002 took the atf out of the department of revenue, placing it under the justice department along with the fbi, and added a title and new responsibilities to it. They are now the bureau of alcohol, tobacco, firearms, and explosives.
since then, BATFE has been slowly but surely adding to it's list of chemicals that are "explosive or bomb making materials".
http://www.atf.gov/explarson/fedexplolaw/2007edition/index.htmTherein is a problem for all. They take little groups like the NAR (national association of rocketry) and hammer them. They had maybe 10,000 members, not really strong enough to fight this on their own. The atf in yet another over reaching power grab classified nearly all of their propellents as "explosive". Now the NAR pays through the nose and the more active of their members have been receiving (in my opinion) harrassing visits by federal agents to verify their "propellents and engines".
A word of warning, that fertilizer, deisel fuel, and other required chemicals on a farm, could and have in some occassions been used to arrest and or harrass farmers and others trying to grow food who "voiced" a disagreement with their government.
So much for teaching little johnny a thing or two about rockets, little johnny's dad is going to jail if he teachs to much.
Thats the propellant end.
Now we get to the guided end of the discussion;
This is touched on by so many different CFR's it takes a philly lawyer to sort them out. Homeland security, FAA, FCC, BATFE, FBI, DOT, and many others have a hand in this one.
Your almost guaranteed to step on one or the others toes. If you don't have several thousand dollars to invest in legal research, I suggest staying away from it.
As for did I help design those. No, not those particular ones.
Regards,
Gerald