Saw this category and was wondering if my rocket fits in here?
Charlie Laser Pears is a water rocket. Reaction mass water goes in the bottom and ballast water goes in the top. There's a video camera and altimeter in the middle payload bay. There is no parachute.
The recovery system is what I call Non Ballistic Return. The aim isn't to backglide, but to just fall sideways in a high drag profile. In order to do this, the ballast water added to the top container is automatically flung out as the rocket tips over at apogee. This makes the rocket just slightly tail heavy and the rocket falls sideways at under 30ft per sec even with a video camera on board.
You can see this recovery system in action really well in this video of my other rocket called Just Add Water
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-pMQbfMlk4
And regarding the name- Originally the rocket was named Laissez Le Bon Temp Volent which explains the garter belt, but my kid's class was given the chance to rename it.
Charlie Laser Pears is what they came up with.
Thanks,
Bugwubber
Team SPEW
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