Large rocket separation

[wbeggs]

Does anybody know a good way to separate a large rocket. The rocket design I'm currently working on is 16" in diameter and 24 feet long. I am planning to separate it roughly in the middle and would take a lot of BP to push the sections apart. I would like to do an explosive bolt design which would incorporate two aluminum plates that would be attached to each section and then joined together using large nylon bolts. These bolts would be drilled out and ignitors along with BP would be inserted into the bolts. The ignitors would be set off via altimeters at apogee with the actual deployment system being deployed via additional altimeters a couple seconds later. Has anybody seen or know of a better way to do this?

FYI - The rocket is being built for BALLS in 2009. The motors will probably consist of one O and four N's. Maybe larger motors will be used but we haven't got that far yet.

Bill

 

[BobCox]

Hi Bill,
Welcome to The Rocketry Forum.

I'm basically an LPR/MPR guy, so I can't really answer your question with any expertise. You might be better off asking in the High-Powered Rocketry section (the third group from the top on the main page).

 

[pyrovette20]

Build the rocket very weak, it should seperate into many pieces.

 

[JoeLaunchman]

Explosive bolts!?

I refer you to paragraph 8 of the NAR Safety Code:

8) Flight Safety. I will not launch my rocket at targets, into clouds, or near airplanes, and will not put any flammable or explosive payload in my rocket

 

[lessgravity]

Explosive bolts!?

I refer you to paragraph 8 of the NAR Safety Code:

8) Flight Safety. I will not launch my rocket at targets, into clouds, or near airplanes, and will not put any flammable or explosive payload in my rocket

I don't believe exlosive bolts would be considered as an explosive payload in HPR. I really don't think they would be much different from cannister charges used in HPR. I would worry about possible shrapnel from the bolts if they were to blow anywhere on the ground.

Bill -Interesting sounding rocket. Are you NAR or Tripoli? There is a HPR section on this forum that would be the best place to pose these questions.

 

[llickteig1]

Contact troj (posts here some). Their Nebraska group has built several Really Big Rockets recently (Redstone & Delta III, to name two), and use exactly that ... explosive bolts. Someone on their team has that down pat.

--Lance.

 

[Lucas]

Explosive bolts!?

I refer you to paragraph 8 of the NAR Safety Code:

8) Flight Safety. I will not launch my rocket at targets, into clouds, or near airplanes, and will not put any flammable or explosive payload in my rocket

Then you might as well not put an ejection charge in the rocket.

wbeggs:

I would post this in the Support and Recovery forum