LithosphereRocketry
Pining for the Fjords
- Joined
- Feb 19, 2017
- Messages
- 882
- Reaction score
- 93
I've wanted to make an Aerobee sounding rocket for quite a while now. I have an Aerobee 170 scale drawing downloaded off the Interwebs timestamped 11/16 that I never even put mouse to OpenRocket for... Fast forward to recently, I got a copy of Rockets of the World. One of the first models in the US chapter was the Standard Aerobee... Ran a few numbers: BT-60 with a BT-55 booster is pretty darn close to scale. Uses 17" of BT-60, so less than one "full" tube, and 5.25" of BT-55, easy to get from a 6" scrap I had lying around.
BT-60 is also (roughly) the minimum tube size for my ArdIU project... Intriguing. Let's see if we can fit that in there.
The only problem is the Aerobee has those conduits that go up to the payload area. My solution- a HED style "stretched" NC shoulder:
Here's what the final result looks like:
I'm going with the paint scheme from Air Force Round 1 because it's interesting without being too hard to paint (e.g. AF Round 2).
Yes, I have a motor block in the sustainer. Basically, since the motor is also the interstage coupler, an E9 is the biggest motor I'll be able to fly anyway (composite thrust rings won't fit), so there's no point planning for bigger. An E9 with ArdIU driven ignition with an F24 first stage gives me about 2500'- plenty for me, especially given that I can't fit an Eggfinder anywhere. More typical would be something like a C11-0 to C6-5 in an adapter, to around 800'. I'm planning on rear eject with a streamer or something for the booster, as I've had bad experiences with boosters of this style...
Build has started and documentation will begin given one or two more round tuitts...
BT-60 is also (roughly) the minimum tube size for my ArdIU project... Intriguing. Let's see if we can fit that in there.
The only problem is the Aerobee has those conduits that go up to the payload area. My solution- a HED style "stretched" NC shoulder:
Here's what the final result looks like:
I'm going with the paint scheme from Air Force Round 1 because it's interesting without being too hard to paint (e.g. AF Round 2).
Yes, I have a motor block in the sustainer. Basically, since the motor is also the interstage coupler, an E9 is the biggest motor I'll be able to fly anyway (composite thrust rings won't fit), so there's no point planning for bigger. An E9 with ArdIU driven ignition with an F24 first stage gives me about 2500'- plenty for me, especially given that I can't fit an Eggfinder anywhere. More typical would be something like a C11-0 to C6-5 in an adapter, to around 800'. I'm planning on rear eject with a streamer or something for the booster, as I've had bad experiences with boosters of this style...
Build has started and documentation will begin given one or two more round tuitts...