"Spinning Saucer of the Apocalypse" - 36" Saucer with Helicopter Recovery

[Quaranta]

That is just too cool. I'm in awe. Bravo!!!

[delta22]

For the saucer's second flight went for more impulse, with 2x AT G64 and 8x D12 motors.

The rocket lifted off the pad with much more authority, putting on a dramatic display of fire and smoke.

Flight lasted 10 seconds and lifted off to about 100 ft. A very strong gust of wind hit near apogee and the rocket angled over to nearly 45 degrees at final recovery coming in fairly hard and bouncing off the sod.

Peak was about 1600 RPM declining to 500 by the time the rocket touched down.

[Coop]

NICE! Mass cool smoke effects! I'd bet, with all the BP smoke, that green, red, or blue main propellants would cast a cool, eerie glow...


Later!

--Coop

[delta22]

First flight day wrap up:

All 10 motors fired both flights.

The 2x G64 and 8x D12 motor combination seems to be a good one. Without the powerful gust of wind that hit the second flight, I believe it would have hovered longer and likely come in fairly flat.

While the D12s did not burn through their casings, there was a brown soft spot on the motor casings where the centrifugal force of the spinning saucer distorted the motor's internal burns.

Used friction fitting for motor retention as the design is a work in process and time was short. After the first flight one of the F40s became jammed and had to use so much force to remove it that I stripped out the motor tube. Was able to secure tube in place for second flight at the field, and used looser friction retentions for second flight.

Added aluminum tape near the spin motor nozzles after the first flight. This successfully protected the ring from motor heat and residue.

The second flight landing hard at an angle resulted in modest, completely repairable, damage to the ring. On the outer edge where it first struck the ground, the fiberglass shell is slightly separated from the underlying foam. I will fix this by drilling small holes in the FG shell and injecting small amounts of epoxy.

[rstaff3]

First flight day wrap up:

All 10 motors fired both flights.

The 2x G64 and 8x D12 motor combination seems to be a good one. Without the powerful gust of wind that hit the second flight, I believe it would have hovered longer and likely come in fairly flat.

While the D12s did not burn through their casings, there was a brown soft spot on the motor casings where the centrifugal force of the spinning saucer distorted the motor's internal burns.

Used friction fitting for motor retention as the design is a work in process and time was short. After the first flight one of the F40s became jammed and has to use so much force to remove it that I stripped out the motor tube. Was able to secure tube in place for second flight at the field, and used looser friction retentions for second flight.

Added aluminum tape near the spin motor nozzles after the first flight. This successfully protected the ring from motor heat and residue.

The second flight landing hard at an angle resulted in modest, completely repairable, damage to the ring. On the outer edge where it first struck the ground, the fiberglass shell is slightly separated from the underlying foam. I will fix this by drilling small holes in the FG shell and injecting small amounts of epoxy.

Thanks for the reports and pics! I get the videos will be great.

[delta22]

Got the videos edited and posted.

[CarVac]

Just wondering: why aren't the spin motors on the underside of the rocket?

[delta22]

Just wondering: why aren't the spin motors on the underside of the rocket?

I considered a number of possibilities for engine selection and placement. Did not want anything to protrude from the bottom or outer edges as it must spin at a pretty good rate throughout its flight to be stable.

This means good recoveries are like the landing on the first flight, where it touches down flat on the grass, still spinning at 500-600 RPM and spins to a stop smoothly on the grass over a few seconds.

[delta22]

That is just too cool. I'm in awe. Bravo!!!

Thank you.

Your Saturn V build is looking very nice.

Also impressed by the elegant furniture in the background of your rocket photos. I think you get the award for best decor in the background of a rocket build.

[Quaranta]

Thank you.

Your Saturn V build is looking very nice.

Also impressed by the elegant furniture in the background of your rocket photos. I think you get the award for best decor in the background of a rocket build.

LOL. That's a side effect of waterfront living in south FL. Small lots and no basements. I'm lucky with a 2 car garage. But with cars, motorcycle, bikes... my tools have to come out and go back as used!

Edit: Shameless plug for attention... featured in several photos... is this South American Lacewood Coffee Table. Mahogany Base. 42" square. I made it in 2006. Amazingly tough... My kids (4 and 6 y/o boys) use it as a play table every day.

[delta22]

Completed some minor repairs and an improvement:

> Epoxied a 29mm motor tube back in place

> Injected epoxy into a series of small holes drilled into the area of the ring softened up by the last hard landing (shown in pic)

> Added a couple Tnuts (10-24) for motor retention for the two 29mm motors (to avoid friction fitting 29mm motors and risking another motor jamming on removal and tearing out the motor tube again)

[delta22]

Next flight for the Spinning Saucer of the Apocalypse will be at LDRS on Saturday, 7/14/12.

The Science Channel is doing a show on LDRS, including a segment on Odd Rockets.

I have spoken with a producer for the show and they are planning to cover a launch of this saucer on the morning of 7/14/12!

[Coop]

Outstanding! Look forward to seeing the show!


Later!

--Coop

[delta22]

Set the SSoA on its rod in my painting area, primed and painted it pumpkin orange. Rod was set upside down and masked to keep it from getting painted too.

Then applied some cool StickerShock decals.

[delta22]

The Spinning Saucer of the Apocalypse flew two times today, 7/14/12, at LDRS XXXI.

Both flights went up on 2x G64s for lift and 8x D12s for spin, both spun fast and remained flat for the duration of the fights, continuing to spin for a few seconds even after landing flat on the ground.

This is a good motor combination for this rocket. Altitude is very moderate, estimating only 70-100 ft, but lots of spin, fire and smoke.

Used Rocketflite CF igniters/ematches to fire all motors, with a little Rocketflite ML pyrogen placed at the top of the G64 motors to help with quick ignition. Sanded the inside of the AP propellant slot. Used my cluster box to assure quick firing of igniters.

For the second flight, a local farmer with an interest in rocketry stopped by to talk and ended up helping with flight setup.

Weighed 7.5 lbs at RSO.

[jsargevt]

FANTASTIC. That looks like it was a barrel of fun to watch go up.

[dlazarus6660]

Nice

Can't wait to see this at CMASS or MMMSC.

[[POW]Eagle159]

That is the best saucer yet!

[awseiger]

I would like to point out that this rocket is the one my friend talks about when explaining how awesome club launches are...

I can't wait to see this thing fly again either. Easily the best way to do low-and-slow. And the coolest. And with a name like that, how can you go wrong?

[EeebeeE]

I saw your first flight at LDRS. Awesome! Lots of fire and lots of smoke.

[stickershock23]

Boris it was a pleasure meeting you at LDRS and the Saucer... incredibly cool!!!

[a9a1c1]

Yes Saw this one right on the flight line was wicked!

[blackbrandt]

That looks cool!

[troj]

I don't think this is the same saucer, but it's one I believe you flew at LDRS.

Very cool to watch!



-Kevin

[dixontj93060]

Now that is a cool picture!

[bobkrech]

I don't think this is the same saucer, but it's one I believe you flew at LDRS.

Very cool to watch!



-Kevin

Now that is a cool picture!

No. That was Boris's Turbine Rocket Saucer that also flew at LDRS. Check out his photos.

Bob

[delta22]

Flight videos of both LDRS flights of the SSoA:



YouTube playlist of all my LDRS videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3xxD...F&feature=plcp

Took a while to get this together due to software and video compatibility issues.

Used a Samsung HD (720 60p) camera mounted to DSLR for hand held video and an AipTek budget HD (720 60p) video camera on a tripod near the pad for slow motion liftoffs.

[cwbullet]

I can not see how anyone would say that is a waste of propellant.

[jd2cylman]

I have to agree. That is a thing of beauty and a testament to good engineering.
Well done sir

Adrian

[atlcdp]

I saw this fly for the first time at MMMSC back in April. It was a thing of beauty. Great job on the build, it looks astounding close up.

I have a question for the thread in general, Has anyone built a saucer that uses only areodynamic lift of the wings to fly? I have built two small saucers from scratch. I only have spin motors, no lift motors. They work great, but don't want to fly.