Encourage Estes to make a C5-0 Booster Motor!

[jqavins]

I don't know how viable the idea would be for production; pouring epoxy manually for a (relatively) few big motors is no big deal, but doing it for thousands of 18mm motors (and the hole must be drilled afterward) would be a challenge. Pyrotechnicians usually use clay for the forward bulkhead. Instead of drilling, a short mandrel that projects from the edge of the ram used to compress the clay might work.

It might be viable to use a precast plug, complete with the touch hole, and glue it into the case. No pouring of epoxy motor-by-motor, and no drilling.

 

[DirkTheDaring]

The old C5-3 has been used as a booster motor, and the three second delay was effective in increasing altitude. YMMV

Interesting concept….

 

[sr205347d]

If you need more thrust in your booster stage, clustering is your friend!



(Not me.)

 

[SolarYellow]

If you need more thrust in your booster stage, clustering is your friend!

View attachment 642600 View attachment 642601

(Not me.)

It looks like that's also providing for streamer or small-chute recovery of the first and second stages. Very clever!

 

[sr205347d]

It looks like that's also providing for streamer or small-chute recovery of the first and second stages. Very clever!

He has a parachute for the first stage, but not the second, I don’t think.

 

[jqavins]

I'd expect the other way around to be more helpful. But I don't see where it would go.

Cool rocket, all in all.

 

[DirkTheDaring]

If you need more thrust in your booster stage, clustering is your friend!

View attachment 642600 View attachment 642601

(Not me.)

This is when you hate your sustainer and never want to see it again! Bye bye!

 

[SolarYellow]

This is when you hate your sustainer and never want to see it again! Bye bye!

https://eggtimerrocketry.com/eggfinder-gps-faqs/

 

[sr205347d]

I'd expect the other way around to be more helpful. But I don't see where it would go.

Cool rocket, all in all.

He flew it twice yesterday. On the first one, the middle motor didn’t light, and the whole stack came down on the booster’s chute.

On the second flight, he used MJG BP starters (which I supplied). With a D12 and two C6s in the booster, and D12s in the upper two, the sustainer went out of sight. Someone saw it under chute, and he got it back.

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/7lk5...7.19.mp4?rlkey=xxsh8prc2y1qnsugrm0i58knf&dl=0

 

[shockie]

You forget one very important fact.

Machine downtime.

It takes the better part of one day to re-tool one of the six Mable motor machines to make a different rocket motor. After that is completed there has to be hours of testing to get the settings just right for production of the specific motor. After that motor machine finishes it's production run then things have to stop while the machine is re-tooled to make another motor type. All this can result in 3-4 days of downtime when there is no motor production happening on that machine.

That's lost revenue.

Making motors that have a known track record of strong sales (C6-5, B6-4, A8-3) is the better use of machine time.

Estes needs to somehow update their BP manufacturing capabilities for the 21st Century. It's still 1950's technology basically.

Maybe some baby-Mabels for boutique small batch specialty motors. Provide quicker turnarounds and better flexibility.

Sorta like how Mainframe Computers (for the most part) were replaced with smaller multiple servers.

I understand if it isn't broke,don't fix it; I'm a firm believer in the KISS principle.

 

[BABAR]

It looks like that's also providing for streamer or small-chute recovery of the first and second stages. Very clever!

Been doing this for years. Great way to add a streamer or chute for booster or mid stage recovery without electronics. Cluster a small motor with a large main.

reduces damage versus tumble.

Prevents ballistic return of long gap stages.

Chute or streamer markedly increases visibility on descent and on the ground.

Symmetry isn’t really necessary. You can put a single pod on one side, nice thing is you can use a small motor, even a 13mm motor, so long as you have a 3 second or less delay.