Thursday, December 2, 2010

My Next Big Project - Any Name Ideas for this One?

After not really doing much with rocketry since it isn't the season for flying, I finally took some time and designed my next rocket. It will be a 2 stage rocket, but much much larger than the 4 inch diameter one I designed a while back and never built.

This rocket will be very large, even dwarfing Positive Ascent (my 30 pound level 3 rocket). The specifications of the rocket are in the screen shots below from Rocksim V9.0 but here is a summary:

Sustainer:
Length: 155 inches (12.9 feet)
Diameter: 7.5 inches
Motor Mount: (98mm, L to N motors)
Unloaded Weight (approximate): 56.5 pounds

Booster:
Length (exposed): 71.5 inches (5.96 feet)
Diameter: 7.5 inches
Motor Mount: (98mm, M and N motors) 
Unloaded Weight (approximate):  32.9 pounds

2 Stage Configuration Specifications (Sustainer + Booster):
Length: 226.5 inches (18.875 feet)
Diameter: 7.5 inches
Unloaded Weight (approximate): 89.4 pounds
Ready to Fly Weight: 110 to 150 pounds

It is obvious that this is a very large and complex project, especially since I have never staged composite rocket motors. Part of my plan of attack is to use redundant electronics and separation charges everywhere. This means 2 timers and 2 altimeters in the booster, and 2 timers and 2 altimeters in the sustainer. The sustainer's motor will also have redundant igniters to make sure it lights.

It is also very important for me to make sure everything is worked out in my head and on paper and Rocksim before I build anything to make sure the design will work. It is particularly important for the inter-stage section of the rocket, as this is where I am most unfamiliar.

Another important aspect of this project for me is to not get overwhelmed and take it one step at a time. I expect this project to take anywhere from 3 to 5 times as long to complete as Positive Ascent. That means 300 to 500 hours or so. But the build is very much part of the fun of this project.

So far, the parachute and deployment bag are on order from Giant Leap Rocketry. Other than that, I will be ordering parts to start building the 2 motor mount/fincan assemblies and inter-stage section.

Here's what the rocket looks like so far in Rocksim:

 Single Stage

 Single Stage Specifications


2 Stage



2 Stage Specifications

4 comments:

  1. Fins are so lame. Why not gimbal?

    You should call this "Mr. Gimbal" because I used to have a neighbor named Mr. Kimbal.

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  2. I'm thinking Destroyer-ator at the moment because I've wanted to use it ever since Helen said it and it's hilarious. It also makes sense because there are 2 parts of the rocket and 2 parts of the name.

    Or, the Failure Express, or Definite Disaster, or Definite Disappointment, or Why Bother?, or Double Penetration (haha).

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  3. Haha. Destroyer-ator is pretty good.

    Double Disappointment. Double Failure. Double the Trouble. Two Times the Fail. (This could lead to abbreviations such as TTF-1 and TTF-2 for successive dual fail rockets.) SSME(So Stupidly Mega Extra-homosexual).

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