Mars Lander

I know that the Mars Lander is a very popular topic for up-scaling...

I thought the HPR folks here would appreciate the beginnings of *this* effort...

https://www.skunkworksrocketry.com/lander1.jpg

now THIS i want to see fly!

Cool! Any idea what's under the hood?

Great find Jim. I'll be interested to see more about it.

The lander is gonna fly with a central Hypertek M1000 and 4 Pro38 J330's (or J570's if they're available). Plan to fly it at Plaster Blaster this October.

Sorry the picture is so dark, it was dark out when we got it all put together for the 1st time - couldn't resist taking a picture.

Totally awesome. Construction details PLEASE!

Lemme guess...one of you is going to dress up like an alien and come out once it lands, right? Sheesh - that's about all that's left!

What a massive project. This is certainly going to be the centerfold or front cover of SOME magazine. Best of luck!

Fantastic project guys!!! Unbelievable!

I want to know construction info, BT, legs, etc... and a total weight would be good too...

Once again, beautiful job...keep us up to date!

Carl

my understanding is that they are going to be posting update photos and info on the construction. I will try to get that and post it here.

Even better, I will try to contact them and invite them here to provide it first hand.

Ok here is some info for you all...

Looks like Andy posted some info on ROL so I'll post some here.

The project is a joint project between Andy Woerner and Myself (Andy's on the left and I'm on the right in the pic).

The body tube all the way up to the nose cone is an eggshell made up of 1" foam glassed inside and out (you would be suprised how strong it is).

The legs are 3/4" foam sandwiched between 1/8" ply with aluminum tubing for the strut structure. The feet are Andy's design and they actually pivot so they rest flat on the ground (I know not exactly scale... oh well). The legs pivot just like the real one - only the pivot on a 1/2" bolt instead of the original plastic tubing.

We decided to split the airframe just below the top shroud so all the nose weight will come down on a sep chute. Motor is a 98 plus four 38's. We're weighing in at about 105 lbs dry right now. Our target is < 150 lbs ready to fly. If we exceed that then we might have to switch from hybrid to solid for the center motor.

Very fun project (helps having a fun partner too - that pic was taken about 11pm in Andy's front yard). Believe it or not the whole thing fits in the back of my Expedition.

Hope thats a good summary - feel free to ask any more specific questions.

-Mike

Just thought I'd mention... We are planning to have the lander on display at NARCON next month for anyone planning to attend (painted and decaled we're hoping).

You gotta wonder what his neighbors think every time he rolls out another one of those gargantuan projects! I get enough looks just bringing out Aerotech kits...

if he had a REAL sense of humor...

...he'd put some vent pockets in the side of that thing and, when he sets it up in the front yard he'd drop some dry ice into it so that it can vent like the big boys...
LOL

JFlis, Are you trying to start trouble.
If he did something like that it would probably raise our security color to Fire Engine RED!!!!!!alert, alert, invaders just landed next door!!!

Randy
It would be awesome to see... (. . )

Thats to much!!!!!!!

Heee heeee

Great looking project, someday you should get together with Carl.
Who knows you guys might end up on the moon.

Heee heeee

Ok here is an updated picture.

The lander is finally complete (minus the decals still to be stuck on).

https://www.skunkworksrocketry.com/lander2.jpg

That's incredible. Please Please Please post flight pics when you launch it.

- Ken

NICE!!!!!!

Now I know what I want for my Birthday !

very sweet!

but i'm confused... I don't see the hatch. How do you get inside for the flight???

Actually, funny thing is we had to have one of the kids climb up inside to attach the rubber bungees we are using for the springy legs. Wish I had taken a picture - looked pretty silly.

Now that thing is "Way Cool". Please keep up updated on it. Man, I'd love to see it fly....Hmm, you will have to take videos of it flight! ! !

Crashin J

Originally posted by mstoop
Actually, funny thing is we had to have one of the kids climb up inside to attach the rubber bungees we are using for the springy legs. Wish I had taken a picture - looked pretty silly.

Click to expand...

see now?!!? yer missing opportunities...

Shoulda had them dress up in kids space man costumes... *S*

what you COULD do... ...when it is all done, set it on a desert landscape... put a small step ladder near the body. Have two kids dressed in spaceman holloween costumes. One climbing down the ladder, one planting the American flag...

take a pix, tint some additional red in it and you have a Mars Landing...

that would be cool

ok, now tell me that this thing is going up on a cluster of C6-5 motors and i'm buying a ticket to come see it...

Very cool idea on the space suit costume. Actually plaster blaster is out in the middle of the desert - gotta get started on those costumes... Hmmm...

Ok, lets see... I think that comes to 550 C6-5's. Think about that ejection charge! Or worse yet, the clustering whip for the igniters...

On the more serious side, more info...

We've given up on using the Hypertek M1000 as the center motor. We were very optimistic on the weight when we talked about using that motor (that plus it's much less $'s).

Current plan is an M1939 center and 4 pro38 J330 outboards. The J330's will light after the M1939 comes up to presure.

How about an M2000 redline or an M2500T! Or better yet, an M2500 green gorilla! If only our lazy fire marshall would hurry up and certify them!:kill:

I would have to agree with rocwizard on using a Green Gorilla motor. Little green men, Big Green Motor.

Jason

Ok, you all asked for some construction details. I went thru my photos and put together this simple html page. Andy was kind enough to host it on his server. I'll try to add more details as we go.

Mike

https://rocket.tns.net/~mstoop/lander.html

Thanks. Very interesting!

Current plan is an M1939 center and 4 pro38 J330 outboards. The J330's will light after the M1939 comes up to presure.

Click to expand...

Are you going to delay the ignition of the Pro38s? I'm asking because they pressurize almost instantly.
Nick

Yup, probably do it with a pull pin on lift off. That way we are sure the M1939 is up to pressure.