Most. Stages. Ever?

[majordude]

Have there been more than three?

 

[luke strawwalker]

Have there been more than three?

Yes, with varying levels of success... (usually falling off rapidly with more than three, which is why staging is generally limited to three...) Performance doesn't particularly improve past three stages-- and oftentimes decreases.

Later! OL JR

 

[Salvage-1]

I have heard of a few that have spin stablized 4th stages like the altair.

 

[RedMaxFlyer]

As far as models are concerned, five is the most I've seen.

[YOUTUBE]rfnDEryI3Dk[/YOUTUBE]

 

[dave carver]

Same here. 5 D12's to be exact. Got all the parts back, too. Wasn't my rocket, Mark Plafkins's.

 

[JPVegh]

I've personally done 4 stages with good sucess and repeatable results.

 

[o1d_dude]

Five stages are the most I've heard of but have never seen other than on video.

Dick Stafford wrote a bit about "rack rockets" some time back: Mega-staging and more

 

[awseiger]

I've always thought there was some rule against this... An E12-E9-D12-C11-C6-B6-A10 would be kind of epic. Just saying.

 

[CarVac]

O25000->N10000->M3700->K1440->I1299->H410->F240

Keeping that stack straight would be a bit of a challenge...

 

[Salvage-1]

O25000->N10000->M3700->K1440->I1299->H410->F240

Keeping that stack straight would be a bit of a challenge...

getting the top 3 stages back would be the challenge!

 

[awseiger]

getting the top 3 stages back would be the challenge!

I think you'd also have to worry about the fact that a single O25000 can get something of decent mass well into supersonic speeds... I think keeping the stack straight wouldn't be the issue, or more getting the top 3 stages back... but more making sure the top 4 stages don't melt into puddles/de-laminate/etc.

I think the only conclusion to be drawn from this is that someone has to do it! :headbang:

 

[DAllen]

O25000->N10000->M3700->K1440->I1299->H410->F240

Keeping that stack straight would be a bit of a challenge...

Hahaha - exactly! Yeah think about it, that's probably why there's never been more than 4 or 5. Think "Wacky Wiggler."

 

[UPscaler]

[Youtube]fuFmwx_z6sI[/youtube]

Everyone seems to forget the huge scale 4 stage commanche at LDRS in Cali. The 4th stage took a while to light but if you listen closely you can here it.



Braden

 

[majordude]

As far as models are concerned, five is the most I've seen.

That is pretty incredible!

 

[majordude]

Everyone seems to forget the huge scale 4 stage commanche at LDRS in Cali. The 4th stage took a while to light but if you listen closely you can here it.

Hmmm. I don't I don't even see it! What was it, an A8-5?

 

[TRFfan]

O25000->N10000->M3700->K1440->I1299->H410->F240

Keeping that stack straight would be a bit of a challenge...

Nuh-Uh...CTI P8000->CTI O8000->CTI O25000->CTI N5800->CTI M2245->Loki L2050->Loki K1127->CTI I243->CTI G117->Aerotech F55->Apogee C6->Quest Micro Maxx

I wonder how high that would go....:dark:

 

[marcusSRG]

My friend did a 4 stage rack rocket way back when, and Tom Binford has done many rack rockets...up to 4 stages.

By the time the 4th stage lights it's hard to see and hear.

 

[TRFfan]

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=...Y6rstA&usg=AFQjCNG3Hr9ge1zRXxIbpL5mBJfZDoZUVA

 

[Rocketjunkie]

Here's a 5 stage rack rocket powered by G160 Silver Streaks, flown about 20 years ago.
[YOUTUBE]sIEKCBRKyZ4[/YOUTUBE]

More recently, with the introduction of the Estes E12 and F15 motors, I've been building 4 stage rack rockets.
This one is on F15s.
[YOUTUBE]6WZrA9sLHpI[/YOUTUBE]

 

[blackbrandt]

Nuh-Uh...CTI O8000->CTI N5800->CTI M2245->Loki L2050->Loki K1127->CTI I243->CTI G117->Aerotech F55->Apogee C6->Quest Micro Maxx

I wonder how high that would go....:dark:

This is why I shouldn't have TRF and Openrocket open at the same time while semi-sleep deprived.....

 

[TRFfan]

This is why I shouldn't have TRF and Openrocket open at the same time while semi-sleep deprived.....

Actually, I don't think that it would go that high. The fins on the boosters would have to be incredibly large to keep the rocket from going unstable.

 

[BABAR]

seems that carbon fiber rods would be an excellent replacement for dowels in rack rockets, lightweight and non-flammable.

 

[Rocketjunkie]

seems that carbon fiber rods would be an excellent replacement for dowels in rack rockets, lightweight and non-flammable.

They do work but also have limited life. The epoxy cooks out and they get fuzzy. I consider rack rockets single use and basswood is cheap

 

[UPscaler]

Meanwhile, in the high power world, as far as I know, Four is the most that's been done.
[Youtube]fuFmwx_z6sI[/Youtube]



Braden

 

[Maxitout]

Wow. I'm kind of surprised that's still getting attention! The Comanche 4 was a joint project by myself, and rocket buddy Stephen. We decided to build a 4-stage rocket, and started with an upscale of the Estes Comanche 3, but "upscaled" the number of stages, as well. It was 6" in diameter, and each tube was wrapped with a layer of carbon fiber, to give it some strength. The 4th stage was 18' long itself, composed of 4 sections of 4' long tubing. To give some rigidity to that, we epoxied a full length couple in each tube, with about 6" of couple sticking out of the top of each tube. (except the very top tube, it was about 2' up, used the rest of the space for recovery). We put a bulk on top of each coupler, with 3 1/4" threaded rods going down, and 3 more going up. We basically bolted the upper stage together, it made for a very rigid structure.
Motors used were an M 2505, to a K-1085, another K-1085, and finally an L-995. Timers and altimeters in each stage took care of motor ignition, and recovery deployment, respectively. All 4 motors lit, no problem there. The top stage was unfortunately destroyed, the drogue chute hung up, and prevented the main from deploying. The rocket fell to the ground sideways, and put excess on all the tubes. We did recover all 3 lower stages, at some point we will rebuild, and try it again.
You'll notice in the video that this thing spun on the way up, and some of the stages were spinning at different rates (!). Just before we packed up, we had discovered that a few of the fins had a slight warp, this is what caused that. They were just 1/4" plywood, next time, we'll reinforce with 'glass or carbon fiber.
While it was fun to launch, it was a project that took most of an entire day to assemble and prep. After going through that, I now do as much prep at home, before going to a launch.
Oh, yeah. That whole thing was about 110 lbs. on the pad, if anyone was curious. And, it fit in the back of a Honda Pilot.

Phil L.

 

[marcusSRG]

Wow, I thought it would weigh more! Thank you for the details, I love that video!

 

[pyrobob]

Here's a 5 stage rack rocket powered by G160 Silver Streaks, flown about 20 years ago.
[YOUTUBE]sIEKCBRKyZ4[/YOUTUBE]

Awesomeness!

 

[Maxitout]

Yeah, I like the Comanche video, too. But, I have no idea who took it, or posted it.

Phil L.

 

[georgegassaway]

Here's a video of a 5-stage flight of my Sunguidance rocket. It was a "Hey ya'll, watch this" flight that was mostly horizontal by the time the 3rd engine ignited.

D12-0, D12-0, D12-3, D12-0, and E9-6.

The draggy booster airframe (bunch of short tubes in a flying saucer that did not fly well by itself) made it so super-stable (and slow) that it flew ballistically until the 3rd engine ignited to drop the booster. Then it corrected ot fly mostly vertically the rest of the way.

When it is overcast like that, a sunguidance rocket will fly near vertically if adjusted well.

[video=youtube;V52_7vUjnEo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V52_7vUjnEo[/video]

Rockets like that, using sunguidance or the more recent "autopilot" types (Eagle Tree Guardian, other model plane stabilizers, and bunches of Multicopter-inspired controllers), could in theory fly 10-staged, or more. Some not-too-hard to solve issues of of having enough thrust to weight without being overkill, adequate control authority (the above suffered that problem till the 3rd D12 ignited), and making sure it is aerodynamically stable enough thru the flight (Despite the guidance, an aerodynamically unstable rocket is not a good idea for hobby rockets).

- George Gassaway

 

[FredT]

I flew a four stage at this year's LDRS. 4 H's. H669N, H238T, H238T & H210R. Got 4200 feet. Look for pictures in the LDRS section.

Going to try something bigger at the next Airfest, 4 stages, but L's & K's.

Fred