Wanna glue thisTOthat?

The pop over to thisTothat glue advice.

N-Prize reminder

R2K has a short summary of the N-Prize and related team links. I've been snoozing on this one so I appreciate the reminder!

58mm JATO re-build - head scratching

As I've mentioned, I am in the process of re-building my 58mm JATO (the name being a play on words with NATO ammo designations and JATO rocket boosters). When I built it, I did the 'leave the rear ring off and add internal fillets' trick. On its last flight, the fins (again) stayed in due to my extreme internal fillets, but one snapped half way up. I later determined it actually wasn't Lexan, as proven by the landing. In the re-build, I didn't have the option to leave the rear ring off so the root has been merely tacked in place since the fins were inserted through their slots. I know I could have attached the fins to the mount and cut the slots to the end of the tube, but that's water under the bridge. I'm trying to decide if I want to add epoxy filets or some sort of braces. Decisions, decisions...

(And, the new fins ARE Lexan.)

The Double Standard

Ben Ullman just announced the next huge project from the "Outlaws of the East" - a 2x upscale of the Standard ARM. Planned motors include:

1 x Q15000
4 x O3700
4 x N3500

I'm sure this will evolve and watching it develop will be fun.

He noted there is a Cafe Press store to try to fund the project, but I didn't see a link. Way too rich for my blood.

Goonies!

The Goonybirds were a goofy, "cartoony" line of kits developed by Estes - "The zaniest flying freaks of the universe" (I think that's an original quote). Sport rocketeers have since been kitbashing Baby Berthas and scratch building their own 'Goonified' versions of their favorite kits and real rockets. Semroc has also come out with their own kits - the Groonies. For a better definition of a Goony, you might want to read this TRF thread. Yes, TRF has started an entire sub-forum to talk about the odd little critters. Man, there are so many cool rockets in there!

Here's my Goonball XL5, bashed from an Estes SpaceShipOne kit:


And here's my Semroc Gee'hod:

Fast food style satellites

Via Parabolic Arc - Satellites, Built to Order in 2 Days. The source post is short, so...

Guy Norris has an interested blog post over at Aviation Week about how quickly small satellites can be built these days:

As you read this a satellite is being built to my order in New Mexico – well, partly. Along with a couple of hundred people attending the AIAA-organized Responsive Space 7 conference in Los Angeles, I got to vote in a show of hands as to what sort of quick reaction satellite should be built in the USAF’s Rapid Reaction Spaceworks (or Chili Works) at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico. The goal is to demonstrate true responsive space and build a deployable satellite by the end of the conference tomorrow evening (Apr 30).

That is pretty amazing. Now, if you could only get them into space as quickly.

Shuttle SRB splashdown

Photo from nasa1fan's Flickr set:

Updates to the Steve Eves Saturn V links list

FYI, although I've made a few follow-on posts, I have also been adding to the links list on my main launch report.

ROCKETS Magazine's photos of Steve Eves' Saturn V launch

ROCKETS Magazine's photos of Steve Eves' Saturn V launch

LAUNCH Missile

I just received my LAUNCH Missile. Semroc is producing a replica of the missile that appears in LAUNCH Magazine's logo and is sending them to registered subscribers prior to putting them up for sale. I needed something to build :)

Details on the Saturn V flight

I decided to go ahead and make a new post and relay some details I've seen about the flight.

This thread on TQC#39 has some really good up close and personal shots and so does this TRF thread.

TRF user MAXQ reports there was a fairly big zipper on the lower stage, a couple of smaller ones on the top section, and that one fairing cracked on landing. Not bad for such a humongous rocket! He notes that Steve is an auto body guy so he should be able to fix this stuff fairly easily. In a Rocketry Planet thread, user SmokinJoe offers some details:

Altitude 4,441', max velocity 450mph, 7 G's, something like 181,000Ns? and about 187lbs of propellant. Blew the entire pad back 9 feet!

(The TQC#39 thread has a photo showing the pad base post-launch.)

Focke Wulf Triebflugel

I just found this French web site on tail-sitter aircraft. Besides the more common examples such as the Convair XFY-1 "Pogo", it features the Focke Wulf Triebflugel concept (shown above). Although intended to be ramjet-powered, it does seem to be suitable for a tri-copter-like rocket. In fact, this concept has been tried by UKRA's Chris Eilbeck:

Steve Eves' Saturn V ROCKED Maryland's Eastern Shore

After testing the winds with a 'tiny' Nike Smoke on a J350, Steve Eves' Saturn was launched into the beautiful Maryland skies at around 1PM local. The central 'P' and eight 'N' motors (that's 'R' impulse, baby - yeaaah) lifted it majestically to around 3-4K feet. At apogee, the rocket was nominally over the crowd so there was a slight pucker factor until its 4 'chutes opened. It looked like one was slightly snagged but, nevertheless, the Saturn drifted slowly into an adjacent field. It even landed on its tail!

My congrats to Steve and the MDRA crew, this was an amazing accomplishment! I'll report additional links (see below) as they arise.

Here are some of my photos.  Actually, I have to thank my son Steve for most of these, including all the flight shots. It was a good day all around.











Links:

Check out Steve's next project - a 1:9 scale Saturn 1B.  It's smaller but more complex.  And there are going to be two of them!

• Largest Model Rocket Flies Successfully - Whitney's Bayourat Rocketry
• World's Largest Model Rocket Sits on Pad - Whitney's Bayourat Rocketry
• Saturn V flies again - HobbySpace RLV and Space Transport Blog
• Steve Eves’ 1:10 Scale Saturn V - Perfect Flight! - Rockets and Stuff
• 1/10th Scale Saturn V Launch in Maryland - Flickr photo gallery - Jeff Foust
• Tudark's Flickr set
• P. Abresh's Launch Report
• on Rocketry Planet
  
• on TRF
• on TQC#39
• Steve Jurvetson's photo blog
• ROCKETS Magazine launch coverage (summary)
  
• Is this on-topic for National Geographic?
• Popular Mechanics
• HobbySpace (main site vs. blog) now has a permanent feature on the project (including this post!)
• ROCKETS Magazine photo store
• Rocket Men - Baltimore City paper (hat tip to Space for All)
  

Three Four awesome videos: (I think that'll be all I embed.)

Pocket Rocket

Woohoo, I finally figured out that you can grab images from Flickr. No stealing and no storage required on my side.

Here are some photos of rocket-powered funny car. In the builder's words (photos are clicakble):

In the early 80s I built the Pocket Rocket, a hydrogen rocket powered mini funny car. This thing was really tiny, about 8 feet long, just over 30 inches high, and weighing less than 500 lbs.

This thing was seriously scary to drive. It could go 0 to 100 mph in 1 second. 5000 hp weighing 500 lbs, it does not take a rocket scientist to figure out how crazy the power to weight ratio is, so I figured it out and its frickin scary.

Air Force Academy boosted dart a success

I had thought about posting about the FalconLAUNCH VII launch but somehow forgot. But now that Clark Lindsey has a post packed with relevant links, I couldn't resist correcting this omission. The dart, launched from White Sands, was tracked by radar to 354,724 feet (67 miles). Not too shabby and a lot more fun than my EE lab projects were.

Who's your Big Daddy? updated, already!

Here is my mostly completed, 29mm Big Daddy. 'Mostly' because I won't install the nose cone bulkhead and any required weight until I lay hands on one of Quests new F12 BP motors. (see note below!) They were supposed to be out in the Spring (i.e. around now) but may be held up by the new CPSC rules (?). I don't know this...just a guess.

Anyway, this is yet another '5-foot model' (looks good from 5 feet or more). I used Valspar primer and Rustoleum gloss black. The Valspar was all Michael's had that day and I thought the Rustoleum was good from prior experience. However, the combo sucked. There was plenty of crazing and I opted to wait, sand, shoot another layer, repeat rather than stripping it down. This worked fairly well and the crazing ceased. However, since I'm fairly lazy I stopped when the finish was barely, kinda, mostly OK. Hence, the 5-foot status.

Note the cool mini MDRA sticker :)

Breaking News: Quest's Bill Stine sez that the the new D5's and D8's are awaiting EX numbers and may be shipping by NARAM. The Bigger E's and F's will be out in the Fall. My guess is that this Big Daddy my have to fly on a AeroTech F35 reload in the interim! No way I'm waiting for another flying season.

Red Glare 6, documented

The MDRA page is being populated. And like I previously noted, my photos are here. I should submit some to MDRA too, I reckon...

Egads, I just noticed the flight of my ill-fated Messer-Fo-Shizzle is the first segment of of Peter Abresh's video entitled The Ugly. IMO, this flight was more The Bad than The Ugly :)

Two more build ideas

I don't think either are actual rockets, but...

The center black think might be buildable:

But the 'tail sitter' looks more up my alley:

Subject for a mid-power, full scale build - The Spike (update)

This 5 lb missile is currently in development. I bet Richard Hickok will be all over this one (if he hasn't already built it). (via Asian Defense)

Update: Here's a video interview about this new missile.

Steve Eves' 1:10 scale Saturn V - my photos

I decided to create an OurPlanet album for Steve Eves' Saturn V. I hope to add to this album this weekend!

Celebrating Easter with a bottle rocket war

Evidently, people on the small Greek island of Chios celebrate Orthodox Easter by launching fireworks at each other's churches during the services. Check out this crazy video.


My Big Fat Greek Firework Battle - For more funny videos, click here

Rocket Girls #68 - big catch-up

First a couple from rocketry vendors. Here's Madcow Rocketry's 4" Cricket. Mmmm, me like!


And a fairly new vendor, Quasar One Custom Rockets. Here's their Defcon 1:




And now a flood of this and that:

Quote of the day

A fictional space program will always be faster, better, and cheaper than a real space program. - Mike Griffin, Goddard Award Dinner 2009

Steve Eves' interview on WJFK (updated!)

Via Dave Olson:

Steve Eves will be interviewed tonight on WJFK Radio's "Tech 411" show.

8:30pm EDT for 15-20 minutes.

WJFK 106.7 FM - Washington D.C.
http://www.wjfk.com

A reader points out that this website says the launch is on May 2nd vs. the currently publicized date of April 25th. Dave got back to me and says this is an error, which hopefully be corrected shortly. Fixed! It's ON for the 25th!

Steve Eves' Saturn V hits Fox News

The word is spreading. If Tommy is grilling, maybe he better stock up.

On Saturday, April 25, the Saturn V, the rocket that sent men to the moon 40 years ago, will once again lift off from U.S. soil and soar over the Atlantic.

Well, not quite over the Atlantic, but nice press anyway. I wonder if it will hit my local news?

ROCKETS Magazine - April 2009

This issue features several articles about, or at least motivated by, the 40th anniversary of Apollo 11. Besides the fact that we sport rocketeers are also space program fans, the tie-in to sport rocketry appears to be Steve Eves' 1:10th scale Saturn V. The main article is about the celebration that was held in Huntsville last February. This features one of the coolest photos I've seen in a while - Steve's Saturn sitting at the base of the real thing. I had to do a double-take because it looks kinda like an Estes kit sitting along side his huge model. Next up is an article by the original Rocket Boy, Homer Hickam. Homer tells us why he wrote October Sky. Cool photos include him signing the capsule on Steve's rocket and a photo of the four Rocket Boys in Coalwood. Finally, there are two articles about Space Camp (the real thing, not the movie).

There's a detailed report on AHPRA's ARG 6 launch. I seem to like photos today. There's a really pretty rocket girl in an AAAAARG!-themed costume. Oh yeah, there are lots of rockets too, including the famous Gila Monster. It's now staged and can be seen on the cover shot.

There's a review of the Performance Rocketry Mongoose 38, a shortie on LDRS 28, and a reprint of the joint statement on our lawsuit win. I'm sad to say the remaining item is news that Gary Buck, long-time rocketeer and founder of Rocket R&D, passed away. I didn't know the gentleman, but it's always sad to lose one of our ranks.

Back to reading!

Steve Eves' Saturn V has been Dugg

Run for the hills, your bomb shelter, or wherever, the Rocketry Planet is at risk of exploding after their article on Steve's Saturn V hit Digg.

Holy Cow!

The new rocketry blog Rockets and Stuff has posted the following video of Neil McGilvray's Cow rocket flying on a P10,000. The title are Brett's words - I couldn't come up with anything better!

His blog was added to my reader so updates should appear in my sidebar.

Steve Eves' 1:10 scale Saturn V is burning up the Internet

Scheduled for launch next Saturday, April 25th at MDRA's Price, MD launch site, Steve's ginormous Saturn V has been covered my many local (to Steve's home) TV channels and many more web sites. Recently, Rocketry Planet's 'reprint' of the ROCKETS Magazine's feature on this project has been picked up by Wired, OhGizmo and MetaFilter. There will certainly be many MDRAers present and the word is that over 100 people will make the trek from Ohio. This might just be a record setting event for the Price field in terms of the crowds as well as the rocket. I wonder if Tommy will have the Road Kill Cafe fired up?

The Estes Saturn V is the numero uno rocket of all time

At least in the TRF Rocketry Mach Madness contest, which just closed yesterday. The Saturn V edged out the Estes Interceptor for top honors. It was interesting to see how the contest played out. If you log in you can see all the brackets.

Launch Report 2009-2 - Red Glare VI

Location: Higgs Farm, Price, MD (Red Glare VI)
Weather: mid 70's, light breeze
Total flights: Today - 6; YTD - 16
Total motors: Today - 11; YTD - 21

The day started well with light traffic and one car ahead of me on the Bay Bridge. I again got to camp with Don Brown under his shade. The weather was great and I saw tons of cool rockets and launches. The biggest was Neil McGilvray's 450lb Cow on a P10,000 (pictured). Cool is all you can say about that one! I think I saw 7 M's and above today. I also got some nice photos of the 1:10th scale Saturn V, which is assembled and awaiting launch next weekend. (Here's my Red Glare VI OurPlanet album.) The only down side of the day was the pads were super busy. The A (low-power) and B racks were full most of the time and the C was close. Oh, yeah, my feet and lower back were sore by the end of the day. I only flew six rockets, as follows:

1. Hat of Death on a G69N - This Warp 9 end-burner is a cool motor for The Hat! Good power and a long burn.
   
2. Madcow Jayhawk on a G76-8 - It swooped like crazy under boost and after, but remained in a solidly upward direction. Ejection was nosecone-down and it recovered with zero damage.
   
3. Messer-Fo-Shizzle on five D12-5s - Very stable, but not enough ejection oomph. Easy rebuild and next time I'll augment the charge.
   
4. Art Applewhite Helix 24mm on an E9-4 - The crowd loved it. The motor burned through near the nozzle. Minor damage but flyable.
   
5. Art Applewhite Double Helix 24mm on 2 x E9-4 - Another crowd favorite. Massive burn though with a lot of repair necessary.
   
6. DG&A Lazarus on a AMW ProX G185-5 - Very fast nice flight with ejection at apogee.
   

P.S. The red tower in the photo is for Steve Eves' Saturn V.

Prep day

In preparations for Red Glare VI tomorrow, I lugged rockets and range boxes up from the Dungeon, made sure I had all the motors I'll need and built G185-5, G67-7G, G69N-P, and F39-6 reloads. All less charges and igniters, of course. Below are my planned launches. I scrubbed plans for any high power, having decided to wait a while until the smoke clears (pun intended). I need to curtail my rocket spending anyway and will just burn what I have on hand.

My planned flights:

1. Hat of Death on a G69N -
   
2. Madcow Jayhawk on a G76-8 -
   
3. Landshark 2.0 on a G71-6 -
   
4. Messer-Fo-Shizzle on five D12-5s -
   
5. Art Applewhite Helix 24mm on an E9-4 -
   
6. Art Applewhite Double Helix 24mm on 2 x E9-4 -
7. DG&A Lazarus on a AMW ProX G185-5 -
   
8. Launch Pad Rapier on an F39-6 -
9. Goonball XL5 on a D13-7 - in case one of my rocket buddies find an 18/20 case that I can borrow. If not, I'll wait for mine.
   

I did just put in an order for an 18/20 case, a 24/60 case, a pack of F35 reloads (for the latter) and a pack of SU E15s from from ValueRockets.com.

Update on the Iridium-Cosmos debris field

So far, it appears the collision could have been worse, with only 823 large pieces cataloged so far. Although the cataloging is still underway, it appears they don't expect to find the1300 that were originally estimated. This makes NASA think one of the two impacted a solar panel or antenna on the other. (all the scoop on the NewScientist)

Rocket Girls #67

I have posted some rocket girl art, but in general have been trying to stay away from the multitude of drawings, logos and icons that are out there. However, when I found that deviantART lets you embed images, I couldn't resist testing the feature.


Ava by *fuchsiart on deviantART

And while on the subject, I see IO9 has a rocket pin-up post too!

Rocket Girls #66 - The Women of Redstone Arsenal

The Women of Redstone Arsenal is the largest tribute to the women of rocketry that I've run across. Actually, other than my blog, it may be the only one? I noticed that I'd already used photo from the site, although it came from a 3rd party.

From the 1950's section:

23 March 1954 The first photograph of several Redstone Rocket pin-ups, featuring some of the installation’s young women employees, was published.

Rocket pin-ups...now where are the rest?

Rocket sleds redux

Phil Plait has fed my rocket sled appetite with coverage of a Mythbusters episode where they tried to find out if a head-on collision of two semis could fuse the metal together. Well, the myth was busted, but in a very entertaining manner. Here are the videos from two angles and in super slo-mo. If you like the slo-mo, you might also like a frame-by-frame replay.

A compendium of rocket sleds

IO9 presents The Astonishing Speed and Beauty of Rocket Sleds. The subject images are from a compilation on OObject, which provides links back to the source pages. The following photo is one of my favorites. The sled traveling at 4,800 ft/s (3,273 mph). It was photographed by Alan Sehmer of Sandia National Laboratories ©.

All my rocket sled posts can be found here.

I also decided to capture the raw links from the OObject site:

• sandia.gov video gallery
• Sandia Rocket Sled Track (has several great videos!)
  
• tonyrogers.com
• meggaflash.com
• howstuffworks.com
• typhoon.starstreak.com
• commons.wikimedia.com
• mseery's Flickr stream
• vatsaas.org

EMRR has gone contest crazy!

He just added another one and just imagine the loot that is up for grabs. Or you can visit the contest pages and see for yourself:

1. NEW! Rocket Video 2009 - ends 9/27
2. Box o' Parts 2009 - ends 7/6
3. Elevate Eleven - ends 7/20
4. Rocket Family - ends 10/1
5. Design This Spaceship - ends 11/1
6. EMRR Challenge 2009 - ends 12/15
   

Rocket Girls #65

image removed...didn't fit the theme