AlnessW
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 6, 2013
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Greetings all!
Time to get started on my next project. While the vast majority of this build will be documented on my website, I will certainly be posting things in this thread as well. You can view the build page here:
https://wilsonalness.com/rocketry/projects/CodeRedXL.html
Background
As many of you know, my L3 bird known as Code Blue, met a sad ending on its 5th flight last October. The CTI M840 White Longburn boosted it beautifully to about 21K, at which point the drogue didnt deploy and the rocket came in ballistic. At 1000, the main deployed which quickly shredded, zippered the upper airframe, while the rest of the rocket augured several feet into the desert floor. Nothing was salvageable except for the nosecone and GPS.
What I THINK happened on that flight was that in packing up the drogue chute, the long CTI 6-grain case protruded far enough into the drogue bay to muffle the chute up against the charges. This prevented them from cutting the shear pins on deployment. Either that or in transporting the prepped rocket all the way down to Black Rock for BALLS, then not being able to fly it and bringing it back home again, and then out to our club launch a month later, the charges got damaged somehow. (Say from moisture, leakage, etc.) I think scenario #1 feels more likely. I'll never know for certain, but in the future using larger backup charges sounds like a very wise idea, not to mention re-prepping BP charges should they need to sit around for a bit.
Anyway, back to business. That whole crash was a true heartbreak, but since I need a new big rocket, why not build a bigger one?
If at first you dont succeed, plug in the turbocharger and try again!
Design
Here is the basic layout of this rocket:
Yesterday afternoon, FedEx delivered not 1, but 3 boxes on my doorstep. Like that wasn't exciting enough in itself!! (And note my clever juxtaposition.)
Here she is after unboxing/unpacking. In the back from left to right: Fin section, upper section, and motor mount. Note that the motor mount is the exact same size/length as the main PARACHUTE bay in my L3...pretty impressive! In the middle from left to right: Nosecone, av-bay with switch band, and nosecone coupler. And in the front from left to right: Fins, bulkheads, and centering rings.
For adhesives, Ill be using Loctite E-120HP for most of this project. Several of our club members speak very highly of its strength, and I have always wanted to try it. McMaster-Carr sells this stuff by the syringe, as well as these mixer nozzles and dispensing gun.
I also still have plenty of Aeropoxy ES6209 leftover from my Tomach. However, while it cures very strong, I doubt Ill be using it as much with this project due to the very long cure time.
Once again, I suggest you follow the build page on my website for more frequent updates, but rest assured Ill keep you all in the loop here as well. Now to go start soaking/washing some fiberglass...can't wait to start building this thing. Also, as far as timing goes, my target launch date is BALLS. If things go well, it may fly at our next club launch in August, however BALLS seems more likely at this point.
Thanks for stopping by!
Time to get started on my next project. While the vast majority of this build will be documented on my website, I will certainly be posting things in this thread as well. You can view the build page here:
https://wilsonalness.com/rocketry/projects/CodeRedXL.html
Background
As many of you know, my L3 bird known as Code Blue, met a sad ending on its 5th flight last October. The CTI M840 White Longburn boosted it beautifully to about 21K, at which point the drogue didnt deploy and the rocket came in ballistic. At 1000, the main deployed which quickly shredded, zippered the upper airframe, while the rest of the rocket augured several feet into the desert floor. Nothing was salvageable except for the nosecone and GPS.
What I THINK happened on that flight was that in packing up the drogue chute, the long CTI 6-grain case protruded far enough into the drogue bay to muffle the chute up against the charges. This prevented them from cutting the shear pins on deployment. Either that or in transporting the prepped rocket all the way down to Black Rock for BALLS, then not being able to fly it and bringing it back home again, and then out to our club launch a month later, the charges got damaged somehow. (Say from moisture, leakage, etc.) I think scenario #1 feels more likely. I'll never know for certain, but in the future using larger backup charges sounds like a very wise idea, not to mention re-prepping BP charges should they need to sit around for a bit.
Anyway, back to business. That whole crash was a true heartbreak, but since I need a new big rocket, why not build a bigger one?
If at first you dont succeed, plug in the turbocharger and try again! Design
Here is the basic layout of this rocket:
- 5 x 66 slotted booster section.
- 5 x 48 upper section.
- 36 x 98mm motor mount.
- 12 av-bay with 1 switch band, and CNC-stepped bulkheads.
- 5 5:1 Von Karman nosecone (filament-wound with aluminum tip).
- 3 fins (3/16).
- 3 centering rings.
- Electronics: Raven3 and MissileWorks RRC3.
- Recovery: SkyAngle Cert-3 Drogue and SkyAngle Cert-3 XL Main. (May have to adjust these depending on final weight.)
- Never cared much for black fiberglass.
- I really, really dont like split fins.
And last, but most importantly:
- Scratch building is just way more fun. :wink:
Yesterday afternoon, FedEx delivered not 1, but 3 boxes on my doorstep. Like that wasn't exciting enough in itself!! (And note my clever juxtaposition.)
Here she is after unboxing/unpacking. In the back from left to right: Fin section, upper section, and motor mount. Note that the motor mount is the exact same size/length as the main PARACHUTE bay in my L3...pretty impressive! In the middle from left to right: Nosecone, av-bay with switch band, and nosecone coupler. And in the front from left to right: Fins, bulkheads, and centering rings.
For adhesives, Ill be using Loctite E-120HP for most of this project. Several of our club members speak very highly of its strength, and I have always wanted to try it. McMaster-Carr sells this stuff by the syringe, as well as these mixer nozzles and dispensing gun.
I also still have plenty of Aeropoxy ES6209 leftover from my Tomach. However, while it cures very strong, I doubt Ill be using it as much with this project due to the very long cure time.
Once again, I suggest you follow the build page on my website for more frequent updates, but rest assured Ill keep you all in the loop here as well. Now to go start soaking/washing some fiberglass...can't wait to start building this thing. Also, as far as timing goes, my target launch date is BALLS. If things go well, it may fly at our next club launch in August, however BALLS seems more likely at this point.
Thanks for stopping by!
