AeroTech G138 has been certified

I've been waiting for this ever since I bought my 29/40-120 case:

Aerotech:
(HP)G138-14A
29mm x 124mm
157.1 Newton-seconds Total Impulse [note that's 2.9 N from an 'H'!]
190.1 Newtons Peak Thrust
138.0 Newtons Average Thrust
Propellant mass: 70.0 grams
Blue Thunder propellant

Motivation for a future build (clarification)

Won't be 'scale',  this is just motivation.  Will have to greatly exaggerate the arms and tracks.  Or just add big clear fins. Must search for suitably sized plastic trash.

BTW, this came up because I have a suitable head, nose cone, or whatever you want to call it...the top piece!

Early Saturday hodgepodge post

NARAM-52 Live! is shaping up well.  The Friday non-rocket photos includes a rocket girl.  Would steal it if it actually included a rocket.

I cut the fuse for the Backdraft flight.  Looked back and found I cut it a quarter inch too long.  To trim or not to trim, that is the question.  Whether `tis nobler to endure the slings and arrows of an outrageous pucker factor or to take scissors or dikes against a sea of troubles...

Updated the Resistor 224 RockSim for the final as-painted weight.  Also updated the weight in Heavenly Hobbies' H.H. Simit spreadsheet that comes with their kits.  It was like David and Goliath.  Bare bones v. fancy shmancy.  You'll have to wait for the EMRR review for all the numbers but on two D12-5's, Simit says 584' and RockSim says 581'. Scary.

The next MDRA launch will see a range of thrust levels, from an I357 to MicroMaxx.

Tired of vampires with feelings?

If it's time for NARAM and you aren't there, then it's time for NARAM Live!

NARAM Live! main page with links to current and past NARAMs.

NARAM-52 Live! - Flying starts Saturday.  Site updates start when Chris gets around to it.  I'll be watching and will report what I think is cool.

Resistor 224...stick a fork rocket motor in it!

It is what it is and that's all that it is.  Ready for MDRA!

(Please ignore what >100 degrees and water restrictions do to grass. Permanently dormant :eek:)

For purple metallic, over spray ain't the way

I decided to test over spraying the Metalcast purple metallic with the silver basecoat.  I took the top section of my Ringer and gave it a try. I figured the 'finish' on the yarn-wrapped cone looked funny anyway so I couldn't make it look any worse. In fact, I over sprayed the cone too. The results: meh. I am unable to keep the overspray totally uniform and I'm not sure the look would look good even if I was able to.  So. the Resistor 224 got a couple of silver vinyl pin stripes and an MDRA decal.  The kit's decal will start soaking shortly.  I'll then shoot a clear coat or two.  Photos when finished...

More on smart phone-enabled DIY space (update)

The Make:Blog has an article on the test flight of the Nexus 1/Android smart phone-controlled micro-satellite. (see previous post)  Included is an on-board video from the payload, which was flown to 28,000 feet aboard James Dougherty's Intimidator-5 using a CTI N4100 motor.  It also includes a video that describes the payload. 

This was also covered by Wired's Gadget Lab.  {Silly comment/question removed.  The answer was clear if I just look at the photos/video.}

MAKE magazine volume 24 will be dedicated to "DIY Space."  Methinks I'll want that issue.

Random observation on the NAR Member Guidebook

I just received my copy of Volume 8, 2010-2011 Edition.  I've mentioned before that I think this is a great resource for new and old rocketeers alike.  The newbies get a great overview of what sport rocketry is all about and us old timers get a couple of good rocket plans and a bunch of coupons.  Well, the latter will appeal to just about everyone.  However, I do have a beef with the caption of the first photo in the first article, Rocketry Anatomy 101.  It reads: " Regardless of their shape, model rockets are all constructed with a nose cone, and airframe and fins."  Oh, r e a l l y?

OK,OK,OK, we all knew what they meant and you don't want to start by flying oddrocs.

Resistor 224 interim results

Well, the estimate of 80% uniform coverage on the upper body might be about right.  Looks too splotchy to make me happy but I'm not investing in another Metalcast set.  Too expensive for such poor coverage. Maybe I'll try a light over spray with the silver undercoat.

I'm happy enough with the fin can even if it wasn't exactly what I had in mind.  Later, I may paint the exposed section of the motor tubes some other color since the silver is too close to the color of the fin can.

Hope it flies better than it looks.  (It looks slightly better in the flesh. The camera flash seems to bring out the worst.)

1 rocket, 2 (of 3) 'P' motors, 2000 f/s video

Video of the Beagle IV/Clotho project at 2000 frames/sec. You can see the flame plume transition from red smoke, to blue thermite, to white aluminum-based propellant. Only 2 of 3 'P' motors lit, hence the angled boost. Recovery was at the horizontal going some 1000mph. No bio-sampling, only dirt smapling. (via Steve Jurvetson)

Semroc's latest - 'Ready to Build' but with advanced features

Semroc just released a new line of kits with initially 10 new rockets.  These are largely downscales of, as you'd expect, classics.  The name is a play on words since all kits are essentially ready to build.  What's interesting to me is that, although they were introduced as precursors to 'almost ready to fly'  kits, they actually have some advanced features for rockets of their size.  They include laser-slotted tubes and through the wall fins and a stuffer tube to help protect the main body and shock cord from ejection gasses.  Check them out!

(Minor) Resistor 224 painting issues (a.k.a. stupid rocket tricks)

"Painting is just another name for trouble.  Either you just had trouble, you are having trouble, or you are going to have trouble".  - Me (with a hat-tip to Milt Rosen)

 Today's troubles:

• I thought I had plenty of Metalcast metallic purple, but this stuff seems to take coat after coat after coat.  I'll have an 80% uniform coating, which will have to be close enough.
• I am doing the Rustoleum Titanium Silver-over-black trick that I learned from Sascha Grant. It appears the high solids loading in this stuff makes it prone, on reuse,  to spattering big chunks. Grrr.  I cleared the nozzle after its 1st use too.  Maybe it requires even more shaking?  It will be a thicker overcoat than I planned since I'm trying to hide the splatter.
• I also got some runs on the motor tube since I had to get close to make sure the black areas didn't turn solid titanium silver.  Additional masking would have avoided this.

Photos of the finished product will come tonight or day after tomorrow.

Severe Storms Strike U.S. East Coast

Severe Storms Strike U.S. East Coast

From Maryland Weather: Winds that accompanied Sunday's frontal passage in Montgomery County reached hurricane force - as high as 80 to 90 mph in some narrowly focused locations, according to the National Weather Service. And the area sustained widespread wind speeds of 60 to 75 mph.

Google Satellite Test

Google Satellite Test, originally uploaded by jurvetson.

I am personally interested in reports of flying cell phones. In the late '90's, I worked for NASA (as a contractor type person) studying using Globalstar phones on LEO satellites. NASA Wallops has since flown Iridium-based 'phones' on suborbital rockets and Anthony Cesaroni has responded to one of my posts, saying that he has flown cell phone payloads. Now the RocketMavericks are flying a Nexus1 Android phone. I find it awesome that the phone can control things on board and that it has sensors. The satellite phones I studied didn't have these things (in fact they didn't even exist in the wild at the time). Cool beans. (follow the label below for my related posts)

Resistor 224 progress

The Resistor 224 is actually 99% done and waiting for paint.  I was going to get the required primer and clear coat yesterday, but we had the mother of all thunderstorms.  Trees down all over our neighborhood; water restrictions due to pumping station FAIL; 200k+ without power; hundreds of traffic lights out.  But we were pretty lucky.  We only lost power for about 15 minutes.  However, an hour before True Blood, our cable went out.  No TV and no Internet...it was madness!!!

Anyway, we're returning our daughter's dogs today so procurement will occur tomorrow.

Coming in Ballistic

Coming in Ballistic, originally uploaded by jurvetson.

The sad demise of Steve Jurvetson's big V-2.1. Click through for a bigger view and the action sequence, including the digging that followed. For happier days, see the upward part here.

I want a Kari bag

I never really had much interest in Comic-Con, but I think I changed my mind. Let's see.  Comic-Con or a rocket launch? Kari bag...or more rocket stuff?  Nope, guess I'm still not that interested.  Especially when you get all the scoop on Cowboys and Aliens, Avengers, and True Blood from io9.

But, I still want that bag! (image totally stolen from FB, my bad) 

More Blogger comment weirdness

I just checked my comments mod page and found several old ones.  I didn't check what was going on and just accepted the comments from known readers and rejected the others.  So, some readers may see their comments have finally been posted...or they may get duplicate responses for comments made quite a while ago...or they still may be staying up nights wondering where their comments went...or whatever. 

Mad Mike Hughes to recreate Evel Knievel's jump over the Snake River

I just received notice of this via email.  On Friday October 15th 2010, Mad Mike Hughes will attempt to recreate Evel Knievel's famous attempt to jump over the Snake River in his rocket powered X-1 Skycucle.  Mike will pilot his X-2 SkyLimo over the Colorado River. Like Evel's X-1, Mike's X-2 will be steam powered.  The motor will produce a scalding 4,000 lbs (max) of thrust for 4 seconds. Details can be found on Mike's webpage. 

New Build: Heavenly Hobbies Resistor 224

The Resistor 224 Planetary Defense Weapon is the latest offering from Heavenly Hobbies. This dual motor, 24mm design features their ‘Amaze’ ejection baffle, laser cut plywood fins, rings and baffles, thick wall tubes, and a single BIG decal. The kit can be built as front or rear ejection. I am opting for the latter to make the build more unique. No parachute is provided, which is fine with me since my stash of nylon chutes are all interchangeable. HH offers suitable ‘chutes should you want one. The instructions are provided in soft copy, along with the latest version of the H. H. Simit simulation software (v. 1.2).

I want to thank Jose at Heavenly Hobbies for sponsoring this build!

On-board video like you haven't seen since the late 60's, far out, man

This is with a hat tip to R2K.  First I'll set the stage. Start the first video, wait for the organ riff to start, and then scroll down and watch the second. Guaranteed to blow your mind!

Thermoteknix MIRICLE TB2-30 Thermal Camera footage on board Ballistic Missile Defense during BMD testing. Ends abruptly with Missile Intercept - thermoteknix.com

Some of my MDRA photos, a video and a tip

Not that these aren't already posted here (plus more) via OurPlanet, but some of my photos have finally migrated to the MDRA archives: ESL-145 and ESL-146.  I had noticed that none of my submissions for the past several launches had been posted and finally tried emailing the webmaster.  He responded quickly recommended following up with a plain text email after you send one with attachments.  Mentioned just in case your photos have gone missing too.

For those who missed LDRS-29 on Discovery/Science

You should check out their LDRS page.  Photos and video clips included.  If you like this, buy ROCKETS Magazine's DVD (when it's out).

.

You can never have too much X-15

(via R2K)

Back into the Backdraft

The Backdraft is probably the most unique rocket kit I've built.  The rocket boosts on a short delay motor, ejects the booster unit, the upper section comes in ballistic and, if all goes as planned, a fuse-activated retro motor slows the rocket and deploys the 'chute. It's flown three times on E9-4/C11-3 motors.  On the first flight, the retro rocket went off at a high altitude.  On the second flight, it went off really low and scared the hell out of the NARAM-50 contest range.  I thought Nick and I were going to get booted out but the only repercussion was that the rocket was banned. On the final flight at MDRA, the retro delay was about right but the Kevlar twine was damaged and the parachute cap was missing.  I've fabricated a new cap, augmented the broken Kevlar, and it is ready to scare the hell out of a new group of rocketeers :)

Mythbusters use a rocket sled to cut a car in half

I saw this myth this evening and, sure enough, someone posted the sled run on YouTube.  I embedded it below but don't know how long it will be up.  It came from "Episode 131 - Myth Evolution II."

Don't forget RocketryPlanet's ftp site

I was reading a TRF thread about generating a template for beveled tube ends wherein brianc provided a link to the VCT zip file that is hosted on ftp.rocketryplanet.com.  Man, I don't know how I missed this one! 

FLICS Lucky 13, complete

I pulled out my seldom used tackle box and found a teeney clamp on weight.  It weighed .04oz and fit nicely on the cone's wire loop.  This moved the margin to just over unity.  Final sims:

• A3-4 - 582' with an optimal delay of 4.7s
• A10-3 - 575' with an optimal delay of 4.3s

FLICS Lucky 13, on paper

I decided to do a RockSim 9 sim on the Lucky 13.  After all, the FLICS body panels are just flat fins. I just attached these 'fins' to a pod and moved it away from the body so that the 'V' is tangential to the body tube.  At first glance, everything was copacetic.  592' on an A3-4 with an optimal delay of 4.7 and 600' on an A10-3 with an optimal delay of 4.3.  But, I noticed a hiccup.  The margin with an A3 is 0.5 but with an A10 is 1.2.  Say what?  I  found RockSim thinks the A10-3 weighs ~1.8oz, vs. the actual weight of 3oz.  Maybe someone entered the weight after burn out or only the propellant weight?  Anyway, it looks like a margin of 0.5 would be acceptable IF I was confident of the accuracy of all my measurements.  Methinks I'll see if I can find a way to attach a little weight to the wire loop in the base of the cone.

FLICS Lucky 13

Taking a cue from Chris Michielssen (again), I started building a 13mm-powered FLICS-based rocket.  Initially, I thought that maybe I'd try an 18mm version.  But, holding an 18mm tube in the 'V' formed by the FLICS body sections made it clear that this wasn't a good idea.  I don't have any 13mm tubing so I began digging in the box-o-Paul-Miller-dead-rockets.  I chose a small 4FNC that was missing it's nose.  I removed two of the fins and, when I held it up to the FLICS body, decided I'd do mine a little differently.  That is, I'd keep the remaining fins.  I added a Kevlar leader half way up the body using the through-the body method (see repair tip #1) and scraped off the paint where the body would touch the FLICS.  The rocket had a lug and I added the FLICS rubber band to the end of my Kevlar.  For the nose cone, I dug up a Hartle Engineering resin cone.  I painted the cone red with blue trim to somewhat match the FLICS color scheme.  After this flies, I may repaint the rocket body.  The one thing left to do is check the CG with a motor installed.  I think I'll need to move the CG forward, which means digging up some more tubing since the cone is solid. I'll find out tomorrow later today.

'Plume-cam' plus Dr Zooch

This past weekend, I sat with Dr. Zooch and was immersed in his video wizardry.  He uses Booster Vison wireless GearCams to make 'Ants is Space' videos, staging videos and much more.  He mounts them on booms to image the staging process and glider separation details.  He also had one in the nose of a Shuttle-like glider.  This glider can also hold a camera that views the ant-crewed cockpit from the inside during flight.  This is great stuff.  The first link above has several of these videos and if you can find out much more by searching TRF and the TRarchive for "Dr Zooch video."

I just found the following photo from Steve Jurvetson.  It shows duct tape-mounted camera that was intended to image the plume from the twin motors in an Estes Double-D.  Unfortunately, the weight of the camera insured that it hit ground first and thus far the video has not been recovered.  If you click through, you can find more info on the set-up, including a ground video of the flight.

Spaceport America construction progress

This photo is by KRQE News and was found on the Spaceport America Construction Progress blog. I love the desert Southwest.

Thoughts on 24mm HPR

I just read a post about the new CTI F240 V-max motor. While this is cool, I have no 24mm rockets that could take this motor. Or any G or H motor for that matter.  From the start of my MPR reincarnation, I put a 29mm mount in any rocket that could use an F240.  I could adapt my 29mm MPR/HPR rockets down but hardly see the need when I can get such a wide range of motors in that size.  For that matter, I don't really need more than the 29/180 motors in any of these.  That's mainly because I put 38mm mounts in my rocket that are solidly HPR.  The see the main justification for high impulse 24mm is performance in minimum diameter designs.  Despite have pretty big fields at MDRA, I'm personally not interested in such flights.  Even with dual deploy, the risk of loss seems awfully high.  Plus, I generally like to see the entire flight, or close too it.  Especially when there is an investment in electronics and motor casings.

Gotta quit...yard work before thunderstorms...

Launch Report 2010-8

Location: Central Sod Farm, Centreville, MD (MDRA ESL-146)
Weather: low 90's, clear, wind ~5-10 mph
Total flights: Today - 9; YTD - 68
Total motors: Today - 18; YTD - 91

Another great day...good weather, light traffic (just missed a wreck that closed the east bound lanes of US 50), no lines at the pads.  Dr. Zooch provided shade and entertained me with both his rockets and random stories. I have several shots of his rockets in the slide show at the bottom of the post.

My Flights:

1. Raygun Gothic HoJo on 4 D12-5's and 4 C11s - Excellent flight with respectable altitude and ejection at apogee.
2. El Tubo Loco an G64-4 - I had the honor or drag racing Dave Webber's Tuber, which was on it's 220th flight.  He flew Tuber on an H100 sparky.  I got moving first but he won overall.  Good stuff!
3. AeroTech Cheetah on an F39-6 - Nice boost with once slight shimmy at burn out.  This rocket would be insane on a G. Thanks Paul for another good addition to my fleet.
4. First Flight Under Dawg on a D12-0/D12-5 - The rocket started really slow and translated with the wind. At staging, it went off at a steep angle and I cringed, not wanting a long walk in the heat.  But it weather cocked it's way back to vertical.  Good recovery.  But I still had a good walk.
5. Stratosphere on an F24-7 - Shoulda drilled the delay. Dead.
6. Fat Boi-nk on a C6-3 -What's to say? It went up, came down, and BOINKED :)
7. Hat of Death on a D12-0 CHAD staged to an E9 - Underpowered to the max.  The E9 lit after impact resulting in a pucker factor of 8.5.  Given the weird start of the Under Dawg flight, I wonder if my batch of D12-0's is funky.  Here's what this motor combo is supposed to do!
8. Hat of Death on a G75MS - Redemption!  Sparky redemption!
9. Odd'l Birdie on an A3-4 - Good flight.

Find more photos like this on Our Planet

Why ask why?

As I was bringing rockets up for tomorrow, I pondered todays' events, Monday's jury duty, and this popped to mind...

...I like rockets in general.  I drool over, admire, and are a little jealous of the 'big dogs' who build and fly significant projects.  I ponder getting I and J motors for the rockets I already have.  I'm always thinking about my next build.  And I was perfectly happy adding a 6mm motor tube to a free, rubber band powered, cardboard rocket.  Does that make me an odd odd-roc-eteer?

Inspecting a Sidewinder (update - public service announcement)

Ew, I looked back at this post and started thinking like she was giving this rocket a colonoscopy. If you are over 50 or have risk factors, have you had yours? You should.

100716-N-0754Y-003, originally uploaded by USS George Washington.

EARTHQUAKE details from the USGS

Despite being a mere 9 miles from the epicenter, we slept through it.

Via the USGS
Earthquake Details * This event has been reviewed by a seismologist.

Magnitude 3.6
Date-Time * Friday, July 16, 2010 at 09:04:47 UTC
* Friday, July 16, 2010 at 05:04:47 AM at epicenter
Location 39.167°N, 77.252°W
Depth 5 km (3.1 miles) set by location program
Distances 15 km (10 miles) NW of Rockville, Maryland
30 km (15 miles) ENE of Leesburg, Virginia
35 km (20 miles) NW of WASHINGTON, D.C.
70 km (45 miles) WNW of ANNAPOLIS, Maryland
Event ID us2010yua6

Video of a 29/40-120 'H' static test

AeroTech reports test results for the 29/40-120 H motor

Via Facebook:

We fired four motors in two slightly different configurations, total impulse ranged from 162 to 166 N-sec. Burn times were 1.05 to 1.1 seconds. Measured delay was about 14 seconds. Unfortunately this will be a hazmat load as it uses a single grain due to design and regulatory constraints.

Some have questioned why we'd care about this motor given the fact that so many, more flexible 29mm HPR options exist.  Well, the answer is eligible rocketeers will be able to certify easily with their existing Hobbyline casing and many of their (previously) mid-power rockets.  Once unfettered by the cert card, they will undoubtedly want to spend more one on bigger rockets and motors.

I have several rockets that don't need even the H128 power, but do need over 80N of average thrust.

Solo launch report - FLICS and Q E-Z edition - redux

Location: my driveway
Weather: hot and humid
Total flights: Today - 4; YTD - 59
Total motors: Today - 4; YTD - 73

1.  The first flight of the Q E-Z Monocopter saw it head right into the bush adjacent to the pad.
2. The second flight saw it rise to a foot or so as it translate about 6'.  When I recovered it, it noticed the wing was gone.  It was about 12' away in the other direction.  I think this project is retired.
3. I flew my Quest plastic brick saucer to about 12'.
4. The FLICS had the same flight profile as before.   Must have been off-center thrust as there was almost no wind.  Lost.  I have two more and will build the other even if they are throw away flights. 

Rocketry in the Inbox

EMRR is back after a month hiatus with a respectable number of new reviews.  The winners of the Kitbash Virtual Contest have been announced.  Which mostly reminds me that I need to tale a photo for the Double Vision Photo Contest.

Then, I got the latest issue of the E-News newsletter.  It announces 4 new kits in addition to the Saturn V, which is due out in August.  It's also good to see Estes announcing NAR events, in this case NARAM-52.  Hopefully, the 'new-Estes' supports these in force.  Finally, they discuss the 3,200 rocket mass launch that is planned for the SHAC Jam on Saturday, October 9th at Texas World Speedway near College Station, Texas.  They are producing special kits designed "to stomp the record." Like any small rocket couldn't economically beat the record.  But is it still seems like a reasonable mix of outreach and marketing and at that quantity, small savings will add up.

Hat of Death status report (update)

Scratch - Sweat-Stained Clifton Tracking Station Hat of Death:  53 flight(s)/26 configurations(s)
Your Flights - 2x Est SU D12-0, 4x Est SU D12-P, 9x Est SU A8-3, AT EconoJet F20-P, AT EconoJet F21-P, AT EconoJet F23-P, AT EconoJet F42-P, AT EconoJet G35-P, AT EconoJet G38-P, AT RMS E18-P, AT RMS F12-P, AT RMS F24-P, AT RMS G64-P, AT RMS G69-P, AT RMS G76-P, AT SU G75-4, AT SU G77-P, AT SU G80-P, DRD F38-P, DRD Vulcan G, Ellis SU F20-4, Ellis SU F20-P, Ellis SU G20-0, Ellis SU G35-P, Est SU D12-0/Est SU E9-P, Est SU E9-P


This is the summary motor usage info as kept in EMRR. These flights include 24mm, 29mm, 38mm and 2 cluster configurations. I didn't scour the logs (EMRR's database is sick) but I only remember 5 bad flights:

1. One cluster flight was unstable due to a msifire;
2. One of several D12/E9 CHAD staged flight was underpowered, possibly due to a draggy rod (?);
3. It was unstable on an Ellis G20;
4. The unknown Vulcan motor (listed as DRD Vulcan G to get it in the database) chuffed and it was off the rod before the motor was up to pressure;
5. And, lastly, it was unstable on the AT G75.  You can find a photo showing the resulting 360-degree spark field here.

The G20 and G75 flights were surprising since it's flown well on E9's on the low end and an RMS G64 and SU G80 on the high end.  I suspected the motor length may be to blame but the G75 is almost exactly the same length as the G64's case.  Both are longer than the G20, which is longer than the old style G80.  ?????

Update:   After the original post, I added some wraps of duct tape around the Hat of Death's core to help stabilize it in the hat itself.  I flew it twice at ESL-146 with mixed results. The first flight utilized a D12-0 CHAD staged to an E9.  This was  underpowered to the max and was the 6th failed flight out of now 55 total.  The E9 lit after impact resulting in a pucker factor of 8.5.  Given the weird anemic boost of my Under Dawg flight (also a D12-0), I wonder if my batch of D12-0's is funky.  Here's what this motor combo is supposed to do! Hardly the same.  The other difference is the video shows the Hat flying of a 3/16" rod whereas the latest failure was off a 1/4" rod.  Maybe the 1/4" rod was a little cruddy and added some drag that the D12 couldn't overcome effectively? Well, just to test the Rocket Gods, I loaded up another G75...and the Hat was redeemed!  I'm thinking there are 2 failure modes (not counting major motor chuffs or cluster misfires): 1) the D12 CHAD flights are on the hairy edge of being under powered, and 2) the Hat's core had loosened somehow making it more sensitive to the longer, higher thrust motors.

Model rocket car on TV

Tonight, David Letterman had this woman demoing toys.  One was the a rocket car that I thought was called a 'Race Rocket'.  She hands Dave the controller and says to step back because there will be a 'small explosion'.  Dave pushes button and the motor takes the car across the stage on its guide wire.  Cool, except for the 'explosion' comment.  Experts predict the hobby will survive.

Anyway, a Google search didn't find a product with this name.  And the Estes site shows no rocket cars.  ???

Looked like this one.

Solo launch report - FLICS and Q E-Z edition

Location: my driveway
Weather: hot and raining
Total flights: Today - 3; YTD - 55
Total motors: Today - 3; YTD - 69

I only flew the FLICS and my Q E-Z Monocopter. I was going to dig up a couple of more of my heavy MicroMaxx dogs, but it started raining and I packed it in.  Back into my MicroMaxx range box, that is.

1. First up was my MicroMaxx FLICS conversion.  Whether from being under powered, having off-center thrust, or weather cocking, it headed off at a steep angle.  I lost sight of it as it passed my tree and I thought it was in the neighbor's trees for sure.  But it went beyond them.  The altitude must have been over about 30'.  This sucks, you say?  I have several heavy MicroMaxx models that don't come close to this (as well as saucers, Qubits, monocopters, and 'sputniks') :D
2. The Q E-Z Monocopter was my suckiest monocopter flight to date.  The only ones that went lower were the ones that I loaded onto the rod upside down (done that TWICE).  It spun a while and eventual took off to an altitude of 3'.  Several factors contributed, including being too loose on the rod.
3. Made some field mods and it worked worse.  Hey, it did leave the rod.

I'm going to: add a small tube to make the rod fit better, replace the clunky balance beam with a longer, lighter dowel (had hoped to slap it together from parts that came with the kit), and work on balance in general. It may never fly well, but it should be able to do better.

When a rocketeer gets bored...

Check out this cool Traxxas E-Maxx Flamethrower R/C Truck built by the infamous rocketeer known as rokitflite.  It's long but worth it.  Click through for more details. 

Quest FLICS and Q E-Z Helicopter Conversions

Even though Chris Michielssen said not to bother, I did!  I have collected several of the Quest's rubber-band-launched FLICS Precision Paper Rockets over the last couple of years and really liked the idea of actually using one.  Like Chris, I added a 'full-length' MMX motor tube nestled in the 'V' formed by the two body sections.  I cut a motor block from a spent casing and stuffed a second casing with Fill'n'Finish as nose weight.  This is partially inserted into the tube and taped to the body for flight.  It uses lawn dart recovery just like the stock version.

While rooting for the FLICS, I aslo found a Q E-Z rubber band powered helicopter kit that yelled MONOCOPTER!  Here's basically what I did:

1. Remove the center wire piece form the hub and insert one of two blades.
2. Cut a piece of the wooden spar that is about 1/4" longer then the hub. I'll call this the 'lower hub'.
3. This lower hub sits on the under side of the stock plastic one.  I drilled a hole at the point corresponding to the end notch of the unused blade opening (opposite the blade).  I found a plastic rivet that holds that end of the plastic hub to the lower hub.
4. Drill out the hole in the center of the plastic hub to fit a launch rod. Extend the hole through the lower hub.
5. I eyeballed how long the balance beam should be and cut it from the spar.  I also cut two smaller pieces to frame the beam over the hub assembly.
6. Finally, I added a short motor tube on top of the lower hub, opposite the wing.
7. I inserted a motor and trimmed the plastic wing a bit.

Flight reports when the glue is dry!

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Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) launch

100711-N-1004S-192, originally uploaded by Official U.S. Navy Gallery.

Baby blue sky, azure blue sea, orange flame...

It's Tuesday and I am in a rocketry vacuum

I have nothing on the bench (again), nothing interesting appeared on my feed reader this AM, the forums didn't have anything, EMRR hasn't updated in a month, and the photos that I submitted immediately after MDRA's last launch still haven't been posted. 

But at least it looks like there will be a launch this weekend.  And there will soon be some fun new MPR reloads from AeroTech.  Besides the big-G/baby-H for the 29/40-120, they have submitted  Redline and Fast Jack 24/60 loads to NAR S&T.  My Hat of Death wants one of each.

I think Shark Week is looming

And not because Craig Ferguson said so. I heard it from DCist. Just when you though it was safe to go back into Silver Spring. Here's a photo embedded from Flickr.

Tarkus II progress

As you see, I decided on a tube fin for the upper stabilizer. I'm pretty happy with it.  Probably happier than I am with the new nose.  I'm contemplating painting the outside of the bottle.  Now I look at it and it looks like a wine bottle.  I also trimmed the big clear fin so it doesn't extend beyond the tail cone.  The only other thing I'm considering is whether to find something to fit on the exposed tip of the clear stabilizer. I'm not sure, however, that I want any other random pointy attachments.

This was kind of a dog on a G64.  I think I may wait for the new high thrust load for the 29/40-120 case.

Another Armadillo 'Mod' video

A new 3-pane video of a not so new flight (back on June 26th). Roll vane, (improved) drogue deployment, engine restart. (again via Clark Lindsey)

New 29/40-120 details

The Amateur Geek was right about the propellant used in the forthcoming high thrust load for the AeroTech 29/40-120 case.  Again, via FB:

"New Blue Thunder (the high solids, high Isp version). Yes it will have a delay."

Fuzzy wuzzy (and other LDRS-29 rocket girls)

Click through any of these to get to the source album. It's worth the time if you want more LDRS pics.

An unknown RG.  No comments please.

DSC_9945a, originally uploaded by El Jefe Torcido.

The album has several shots of my favorite Mythbuster.  I think featuring her in 7 posts officially makes me a creepy stalker.



The Cal Poly architecture department came out in force with building-themed rockets.  These are pretty cool and there are more in the album.  But they also brought their groupies, which is why they are in this post.

How about an H reload for the 29/40-120 case!?!

Via AeroTech's Facebook page: 

RMS-29/40-120 motor just tested at 150 N-sec with a 1.17 sec burn time...now to bump up the propellant to enter the 'H' power range!

Sounds like Warp9 to me. Which means no delay or ejection. Which means a new forward closure. But maybe not. A full G or small H WITH ejection would rock.

P.S. There are some who are saying hitting 160N-s on this sized motor is impossible due to factors like combustion efficiency and volumetric loading. I personally don't know but will be interested to see where this goes. A 150G128 would make me happy in itself. (If it has that delay train.)

Tarkus II-dot-1

Here is the Tarkus II sporting its new shiny nose cone bottle.  I also added two small cones to the previously empty tubes on the front end. The original offset nose precluded adding cones to these tubes.  You can also see there is no green plastic bottle on the clear upper stabilizer.  I've been pondering my options here, including using a Guillows foam shuttle.  It turns out that the size and shape of this clear fin is pretty close to the upper stabilizer on the Space Shuttle, to I could slot the rear end of the Guillows shuttle and just slide it on (and paint the exposed clear fin white).  However, this looks out of place so I'll bide my time.  I'll also probably adjust the larger flat plate in the rear.

Saturn V groupies

One rocket girl for each of the F-1 engines.

Under the Saturn V, originally uploaded by drjellis.

Re-envisioning the Tarkus II

The Tarkus II, shown above, was the product of real-time design.  I started with a few interesting components and a couple of  ideas but no cohesive vision for what the finished rocket would look like.  Overall, I was quite happy with the result.  I like the oversize nozzle cone, the truncated-oval rear body and the way it transitions to an offset tube, and the curved wings with their warp-pods.

However, a couple of things didn't work out quite so well.  These were the plastic lime juice container on the rear stabilizer and the nose cone.   I used one of those juice containers as a replacement cone for my Q-Modeling Stiletto. I liked the shape and it provides a stark, obvious contrast to the nice military-styled rocket.  Others seem to like it a lot but, in the end, it's clear it's a recycled plastic container.  So even though the general shape is great, this quality adds too much of a 'junk-factor' to what I was envisioning to be an interesting sci-fi ship.  The nose is a little of a mixed bag.  I wanted an offset style that had somewhat of a 'biologic' look to it.  The foam was a pain to form.  Easy to work with but tough to form planes with symmetry.  The end result was not too bad but then I went nuts and added facial features which clearly looks like a poorly drawn cartoon.  Hardly the feel that I wanted.

Fixing these features has not been on my radar but I just ran into a solution of sorts.  Don, aka Warthog, gave me an interesting shaped Perrier water bottle at the last launch.  I was holding it up to various tubes and found that it had a molded seam right at a point that would mesh perfectly with a 3" mailing tube.  Marking bottles for surgery is always a problem but this seam made it easy.  While the result mates perfectly with the tube, a piece of the inner telescoping tube required some build-up to fit snugly.  I thought that Krylon H₂O paint would work well on the bottle, which is transparent green.  I decided I'd try painting it form the inside.  This kept the outside nice and shiny and resulted in a deep emerald green color...which I think will look good on the Tarkus II.  I'll take some photos when the paint is dry.  I plan to finish the shoulder with a bulkhead and an eyebolt.  The Tarkus II's nose cone is removable so I'll slide the new one on and see what I think.  If it looks good, I'll add something pointy and call it a done deal.  if not, I'll use it from another, yet un-envisioned, rocket.

Man, that's a lot of words and I haven't even gotten into the replacement for the lime bottle.

Finding the speed of Quest plastic

Not long ago, I decided to fly all my 'collectable' motors.  Next up is a G125-15.  I think I'll put it in my 29mm Quest Nike Smoke.  I'm going to try to restrain myself and keep it in the range box until I happen across an unusually calm day.  The 'Smoke flew once on an F23.  Nobody tracked it (up or down) and I had thought it was a gonner.  But, to my amazement, Itchy found it later in the day while recovering one of his.

alt.mdra-weather

The MDRA website compiles launch site weather reports from several sources.  Should you want to know the weather on the bay, you can find out from NOAA's station at the Thomas Point Lighthouse.  (Just in case you will be paddling your rocket fleet across the Chesapeake.)  You can find more about this lighthouse here, which supposedly is the most photographed place in Maryland.

Discovery Science LDRS-29 snaps

I took a bunch of photos during the show hoping to get fodder for the blog.  The quality stinks and my timing was piss poor (i.e. I missed many of the scenes I wanted).  I didn't even bother labeling the shots.  Still I went ahead and uploaded them to OurPlanet:


Find more photos like this on Our Planet

Discovery Science does LDRS-29

Just watched the show.  It was good but too short.  It covered mostly the J1999 drag race, the odd-roc altitude race, and a few individual flights.  It had interviews with Tim 'The Wildman' Lehr, 'Crazy Jim' Hendricksen and Ky 'The Rocketman" Michaelson, including clips from their home bases.  Plenty of CATOs and crashes.  The graciously omitted covering the mishap in which 3 people were injured.  I think there was a 2 second clip of the event buried with other footage,  It appears I gave it more time.  I saw Niel McGilvray for a flash but no interview or details of his activities. There was also a second of the MDRA Christmas Tree Drag Race (real trees, unlike wannabe in the odd-roc race). Neil must have been in a lot of cut footage.  Ken Good gave a thumbnail of LDRS history and we saw some of Paul Robinson's ashes get spread over the playa (along with rocket parts).  If you missed it, it's worth searching for the replay.  Also, I'll let you know when ROCKETS releases the DVD.  It will have much more fire and smoke, but less Kari.

Armadillo's 'Mod' lander gets a roll vane

Here's a video of another flight to 2k' AGL.  This time, roll is controlled by a vane vs. cold gas thrusters. I never get tired of these landers, especially the pointy ones. Note the spurious landing ejaculation. (from Ben Brockert via Clark Lindsey)

Since I didn't see any organized fireworks this year

DCist's day after photo gallery

CAP rocketry

IMG_8166, originally uploaded by Squadron 11 PAO.

Doomed fiberglass rocket?

DSCN3871, originally uploaded by artworks63.

That is, it appears to be doomed to be a prop for a fireworks stand. Click through for more of these rockets and further back in the poster's stream to see some on display.

Ride it, baby

Rocket to Nowhere, originally uploaded by Desóxido.

Photoshopped, but who cares?

Sport Rocketry, July/August 2010

This issues is mostly dedicated to NARCON 2010, which was held at Clark University.  Clark was where Dr. Goddard earned his PhD in 1911 so, naturally, Goddard played a big role in this year's event.  There was a tour of the Goddard displays, the keynote was delivered by Mott Linn who manages the university's collections, and Jim Flis released commemorative kits of Goddard's first liquid fuel rocket and his L-13.  There looks like there were tons of other cool presentations covering subjects from actual space science, GPS guided recovery, and low-tech paper rocketry.  These were covered at various levels of detail. The only other article was on the NAR's role in NASA's Student Launch Initiative (SLI).

And there is an ad from Estes for the commemorative re-release of their Saturn V!  I may not build one, but I project a joyful ripple in the force when these actually are available :)

Happy 4th of July!

Yosemite's natural slushie machine

Here is a cool video about the unique Frazil ice flows that occur in the waterfalls of Yosemite Valley during March and April. (hat tip to Rocket Jones)

My new 8 x 24mm cluster

I added the four boosters to the Raygun Gothic Hojo...ready to fly at MDRA on Four D12-5's and four C11's.  I haven't computed the single motor equivalent but it should be around a small G and will push her to around 700'.

Starfish Prime - the mother of all aerial displays

In a fitting tribute to the 4th of July, NPR has an interesting piece on the biggest fireworks display, evah. In the summer of 1962, the U.S. detonated a hydrogen bomb some 250 miles above the Pacific Ocean.  The charged particles from the explosion filled the sky with a rainbow of colors from Hawaii to New Zealand.  Beautiful...and scary.

Oh, and yes, there were rockets.  These were used to probe the blast.  An investigation into what these were appears on TRF.

(Hat tips to Wayne Hill for bringing this report to my attention and to daveyfire for posting the screen snap.)