Launch Tower

[SuperNova-Rocketry]

Wanted to see people’s launch tower/rail designs to insprire my own. I want to make something which will not need to be replaced when I move onto much more powerful rockets and are looking to do something like this

https://www.cusf.co.uk/2012/03/launch-rail-concept/
This however I attach a regular rail on one of the three sides so that I can use launch buttons for ease of use as I’m not sure what exactly is happening in their design.

 

[drewnickel]

Wanted to see people’s launch tower/rail designs to insprire my own. I want to make something which will not need to be replaced when I move onto much more powerful rockets and are looking to do something like this

https://www.cusf.co.uk/2012/03/launch-rail-concept/
This however I attach a regular rail on one of the three sides so that I can use launch buttons for ease of use as I’m not sure what exactly is happening in their design.

Here's a great tower design from Chris Attebery. Not sure if there are any for sale still or if you'd have to make your own, but we had one donated to my team when I was in college and it was relatively simple to set up and adjust. Ended up extending it to 15 feet with longer segments of electrical conduit.

https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/ape-24mm-125mm-adjustable-launch-towers-limited-run.163192/

 

[Handeman]

You might want to mount it on a trailer so it's easy to move. Use the tongue jack on the trailer and a couple heavy tubes with jacks as a three point stabilizer.

Here's some pics for ideas.

Our launcher is an old boat trailer and uses a structure on the trailer that is about 4 ft. off the ground and the tower is hinged about 3 1/2 ft. from it's bottom so when it tilts up, it will be about 6" off the ground. You can use an ATV winch with cables and pullies to lift it. Since ours tilts over the pivot point, we use a garage door spring on a safety wire that is stretched when the tower is up, and it pulls it back down when the winch is unwound.

This one is about 30 years old and has been refurbish and the battery with solar charger and winch has been added.



This has a Unistrut attached to the radio mast, but we have a 1515 rail that fits in the Unistrut also.



The red box with solar panel on top houses a deep cycle battery and is charged by the panel. It's been in use for 6 years now with no issues.
From the red box to the tower, you can see the garage door spring stretched out to provide tension to pull the tower back down.


Better view of the outriggers.



A trailer launcher at MDRA with hydraulic lift and lower.

Lots of ways to do this. The trailer is nice because it's easily movable and quick to set up. It's also very heavy and stable.

 

[Hobie1dog]

 

[SuperNova-Rocketry]

You might want to mount it on a trailer so it's easy to move. Use the tongue jack on the trailer and a couple heavy tubes with jacks as a three point stabilizer.

Here's some pics for ideas.

Our launcher is an old boat trailer and uses a structure on the trailer that is about 4 ft. off the ground and the tower is hinged about 3 1/2 ft. from it's bottom so when it tilts up, it will be about 6" off the ground. You can use an ATV winch with cables and pullies to lift it. Since ours tilts over the pivot point, we use a garage door spring on a safety wire that is stretched when the tower is up, and it pulls it back down when the winch is unwound.

This one is about 30 years old and has been refurbish and the battery with solar charger and winch has been added.
View attachment 633045

View attachment 633046
This has a Unistrut attached to the radio mast, but we have a 1515 rail that fits in the Unistrut also.

View attachment 633047

The red box with solar panel on top houses a deep cycle battery and is charged by the panel. It's been in use for 6 years now with no issues.
From the red box to the tower, you can see the garage door spring stretched out to provide tension to pull the tower back down.

View attachment 633048
Better view of the outriggers.

View attachment 633049

A trailer launcher at MDRA with hydraulic lift and lower.

Lots of ways to do this. The trailer is nice because it's easily movable and quick to set up. It's also very heavy and stable.

I’ll save that for the future as that’s a very good idea, currently we don’t have the funds to afford that and don’t really mind carrying equipment into the field as we have about 3 hours time to setup before launching.

 

[SuperNova-Rocketry]

Ive actually found a small boat trailer online for around £150 ($190). Im concered it might be too light but I can definitely add some pegs just to make sure its firm into the ground before launch, the ATV is the problem as they are VERY expensive, however would also be good for recovery so ill look into it and see if we can get a used one cheaper than the 1k ones im seeing online

 

[Handeman]

Ive actually found a small boat trailer online for around £150 ($190). Im concered it might be too light but I can definitely add some pegs just to make sure its firm into the ground before launch, the ATV is the problem as they are VERY expensive, however would also be good for recovery so ill look into it and see if we can get a used one cheaper than the 1k ones im seeing online

We don't have an ATV, just a winch made for one. It's much smaller and cheaper than you would put on a truck, but it's pulling power is sufficient to lift the tower. It's wire is rigged through a snatch block so the load is half, but the speed of the lift is also half, which actually works quite well. We wouldn't want it to lift much faster.
I don't remember the full cost, but the winch, solar panel, garage spring and battery was $250 USD. Of course if you have to buy a trailer. antenna, steel, welding, and fabricate and paint the trailer and launcher, that will add a lot if you don't have folks that can volunteer the tools and skills needed and can scrounge up the parts used or from scrap yards.

Now having an ATV for recovery would actually be nice.

 

[SolarYellow]

Got me looking. Craigslist and Offerup have full size used boat trailers for ~$200-300 around here, less if you know how to get rid of a boat carcass.

 

[Handeman]

Got me looking. Craigslist and Offerup have full size used boat trailers for ~$200-300 around here, less if you know how to get rid of a boat carcass.

yes, getting rid of the carcass might be more expensive then the trailer. You could always use a sawsall and put a few pieces in the trash each week.

 

[SuperNova-Rocketry]

We don't have an ATV, just a winch made for one. It's much smaller and cheaper than you would put on a truck, but it's pulling power is sufficient to lift the tower. It's wire is rigged through a snatch block so the load is half, but the speed of the lift is also half, which actually works quite well. We wouldn't want it to lift much faster.
I don't remember the full cost, but the winch, solar panel, garage spring and battery was $250 USD. Of course if you have to buy a trailer. antenna, steel, welding, and fabricate and paint the trailer and launcher, that will add a lot if you don't have folks that can volunteer the tools and skills needed and can scrounge up the parts used or from scrap yards.

Now having an ATV for recovery would actually be nice.

I’ll probally rent a ATV or buy a 150cc one, my only concern is if a 150cc (even for a 150cc it’s £350) will be able to pull the boat trailer

 

[cwbullet]

A product long gone. I suspect they did not make many sales. I saw it in an ad and looked it up on their site. They offered rentals if I remember correctly.

 

[Hobie1dog]

A product long gone. I suspect they did not make many sales. I saw it in an ad and looked it up on their site. They offered rentals if I remember correctly.

I usually like to post a picture of it up to show what a real custom tower of high quality looks like.