Idea for EMRR Virtual Contest?

[EMRR]

Any thoughts on a new Virtual Rocket Contest? (during these few winter months?)

 

[brianc]

MicroMax!

 

[Vanel]

How about this?

"Attack of the Clones"

Simulate a rocket from the Estes 1975 catalog and make it reach 500', as measured by an onboard altimeter.

Rules:

1) Rocket must match in dimensions and appearance to its counterpart in the Estes 1975 catalog., including paint scheme and decals.

2) Any existing altimeter (specify manufacturer and model) may be used, provided it can be enclosed in the model.

3) Only 1975 Estes (or equivalent) parts can be used - no nylon parachutes, thick walled body tubes, etc.

4) Only Estes motors in the 1975 catalog can be used to achieve altitude goal.

5) Rocket must reach a peak altitude of 500', rounded to nearest integer (i.e., between 499.5 and 500.49 feet).

6) The default Rocksim launch conditions must be used, including the 3' long launch rod.

7) Most points wins.

Base score: 30 pts -1 pt for every gram of ballast or nose weight used
Base score is multiplied by skill level of rocket
Appearance will be judged by popular vote - most popular receives additional points equal to number of entrants, 2nd most popular receives (number of entrants -1) points and so.
20 bonus points awarded for building and flying model with altimeter in "real life verification" of sim...

 

[ghost]

Good idea, but it's a virtual contest. Meaning you design the rocket in RockSim and email in the file.

I vote for micromax, though!

How about something like "can you reach 5280 feet with only micromax engines?" You are limited to 15 total engines. Now that would be cool

 

[Peartree]

Good idea, but it's a virtual contest. Meaning you design the rocket in RockSim and email in the file.

I vote for micromax, though!

How about something like "can you reach 5280 feet with only micromax engines?" You are limited to 15 total engines. Now that would be cool

Ghost,

Talk about a rocket you'd never see again. Sheesh!

 

[Vanel]

Good idea, but it's a virtual contest. Meaning you design the rocket in RockSim and email in the file.

Kinda confused here...

It is virtual - you replicate the model in Rocksim, make it go to 500', and email the file. The only difference is that you are taking someone else's design and using it to achieve a goal, rather than your design.

We have to do this at NASA all the time - "I want to send a probe to Saturn to do x amount of stuff, but I only have a limited stable of Atlases and Deltas available. How can I do it?" We can modify the payload, but can't mess with the launch vehicles.

Many of the Virtual contests offer bonus points if you actually build and fly the model - for example the "Long Neck" competition.

 

[chalinaty]

I like the Attack of the Clones idea--except for the bonus for actually building it.
My students are doing a "Clash of the Clones" contest right now. They have to build a clone of a 1981 rocket and fly it at one of our club launches.

 

[ghost]

Kinda confused here...

It is virtual - you replicate the model in Rocksim, make it go to 500', and email the file. The only difference is that you are taking someone else's design and using it to achieve a goal, rather than your design.

We have to do this at NASA all the time - "I want to send a probe to Saturn to do x amount of stuff, but I only have a limited stable of Atlases and Deltas available. How can I do it?" We can modify the payload, but can't mess with the launch vehicles.

Many of the Virtual contests offer bonus points if you actually build and fly the model - for example the "Long Neck" competition.

Oh okay. I thought you meant that we just build and fly - no extensive rocksimming. my bad. I stand corrected

 

[PunkRocketScience]

I like the clones idea too. How about a couple of different years though? Not that '75 was a bad year, but '70 and '84 were awesome as well...

How about a contest to launch a giant monkey and a frozen banana? Ooooh... And the smack talking starts even before the contest this time....

 

[EMRR]

How about this?

"Attack of the Clones"

Now we're thinking... thanks. BTW - Welcome back... hey, that's interesting that you have an astroid named after you!

Nick

 

[Vanel]

Now we're thinking... thanks. BTW - Welcome back... hey, that's interesting that you have an astroid named after you!

Nick

Yep - just goes to show ya it ain't how good you are, it's who you know

Hundreds of square miles of real estate with my name on it - just a scant 400 million miles away, on the far side of the asteroid belt

 

[BobCox]

How about a contest to launch a giant monkey and a frozen banana? Ooooh... And the smack talking starts even before the contest this time....

Thanks a lot, Punk. Kick a guy when he's not even looking, eh? :kill:

 

[PunkRocketScience]

Thanks a lot, Punk. Kick a guy when he's not even looking, eh? :kill:

Better watch out Bob... Next thing you know, you're gonna be voted off the island and I'm gonna hook up with the supermodel/rocket scientist...

 

[BobCox]

Better watch out Bob... Next thing you know, you're gonna be voted off the island and I'm gonna hook up with the supermodel/rocket scientist...

I think her husband might have something to say about that.

 

[PunkRocketScience]

Hmmm... How about that for an idea? Survivor VRC? Out sim, out build, out fly?

Multi-round events with only the top finishers in each round going on to the next... Possibly without knowing what the next round even is? With a short time frame to revise their rocket for the next round? With the final round involving actually building and flying the rocket?

 

[PunkRocketScience]

I think her husband might have something to say about that.

She's willing to cheat on him as part of her strategy... Besides it's good TV...:lol:

 

[EMRR]

Hmmm... How about that for an idea? Survivor VRC? Out sim, out build, out fly?

Multi-round events with only the top finishers in each round going on to the next... Possibly without knowing what the next round even is? With a short time frame to revise their rocket for the next round? With the final round involving actually building and flying the rocket?

Oh, wow! let me think on this.

 

[PunkRocketScience]

Not that I really need one more thing on my plate right now... But how's the VRC coming? Any ETA yet?

 

[EMRR]

Not that I really need one more thing on my plate right now... But how's the VRC coming? Any ETA yet?

Not sure... possibly in March.

Nick