Mercury Escape Tower Rocket

[Daddyisabar]

Good clustering techniques a must. No starters! Q2G2s or better. Check continuity on each igniter before inserting into motor. This is NASA: Failure is not an option! High end, man rated rocketry with all contingencies covered.

As a bonified swinger in South Park, Colorado, launching hard core model rocket porn, you will be subject to strict scrutiny under the law. The legal test is "Dose the subject matter appeal to the prurient interest as judged by the community standards of the fair city of Good View, Colorado." Judged by Top Men, no oddroc scum.

No one expects the inquisition on their third flight after a 40 year break, but launching clustered, canted tractor motors on a rocket with no fins is dangerously close to outright blasphemy. Make sure no crowds have gathered near by toting fake beards and holding stones in each hand. Proper launch lingo is mandatory: 5-4-3-2-1. START!

As always, mentally prepare by invisioning your high investment rocket as a flaming pile of goo. If you can not live with that vision then think twice about pressing the button.

Only then will you find the moment, then the moments gone. Toto, we are not in Kansas any more! All your rocket dreams will pass your eyes, a curiosity. All that's left is smoke in the wind.

Then it will be time to launch the staged Xwing TIE!

 

[lakeroadster]

I would pack it all up and give it the biggest jolts I could in the privacy of the back garden to test the rear loop attachment and latex chute retainer.

Way beyond swing testing now!

I was planning to fly on Friday (tomorrow). I could do a pre-flight static test with (3) motors, but only ignite (1), just to test that the nitrile cover comes off. I'll mull that over.

My mind says test it. My heart says fly it. I'm probably just going to fly it.

I did a bench test on my F-79, and it ejected (2) small nitrile covers with no issues whatsoever. The ejection force / deployment speed of the chutes was a bit shocking. We're planning on launching it on Friday.

 

[lakeroadster]

I would pack it all up and give it the biggest jolts I could in the privacy of the back garden to test the rear loop attachment and latex chute retainer.

Way beyond swing testing now!

Even if the rear mount fails (it won't) the other end is still attached to the tower. Belt and suspenders.

The chute doesn't weight much, and there's a rubber band (did you see that?) around the nitrile on the o.d. of the C-80 to restrain it.
If the chute comes out at ignition, I'll be in good company. Think Evel Knievel and his Snake River Skycycle.

 

[Daddyisabar]

I was planning to fly on Friday (tomorrow). I could do a pre-flight static test with (3) motors, but only ignite (1), just to test that the nitrile cover comes off. I'll mull that over.

My mind says test it. My heart says fly it. I'm probably just going to fly it.

I did a bench test on my F-79, and it ejected (2) small nitrile covers with no issues whatsoever. The ejection force / deployment speed of the chutes was a bit shocking. We're planning on launching it on Friday.



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Go with your heart.

 

[Daddyisabar]

Even if the rear mount fails (it won't) the other end is still attached to the tower. Belt and suspenders.

The chute doesn't weight much, and there's a rubber band (did you see that?) around the nitrile on the o.d. of the C-80 to restrain it.
If the chute comes out at ignition, I'll be in good company. Think Evel Knievel and his Snake River Skycycle.

All contingencies covered. Ready to launch!

 

[Paul Howard]

Very Clever Design!!! I like it!!! Looking forward to post-launch results!!!

 

[lakeroadster]

.... I would attach chute just a little higher than you are holding it. Go for a 30 to 45 degree descent angle, not as important on this beast as a delicate scale model. I would use a quality swivel attached to kevlar attached to a quality braided elastic. ....

I reworked the harness to give it more of a nose up decent. Also added an elastic shock chord. Still planning to launch tomorrow morning.

 

[Daddyisabar]

I reworked the harness to give it more of a nose up decent. Also added an elastic shock chord. Still planning to launch tomorrow morning.

View attachment 526390

Good. Hard to see with old eyes. Is the elastic internal? Last link before the chute? Don't want elastic close to motors.

 

[lakeroadster]

Good. Hard to see with old eyes. Is the elastic internal? Last link before the chute? Don't want elastic close to motors.

Yeah, the elastic is covered entirely by the nitrile cover.

Here's the line-up for tomorrows launch.

 

[Daddyisabar]

Yeah, the elastic is covered entirely by the nitrile cover.

Here's the line-up for tomorrows launch.

View attachment 526391

That is some oddroc lineup! Best of luck.

 

[Sandy H.]

Yeah, the elastic is covered entirely by the nitrile cover.

Here's the line-up for tomorrows launch.

View attachment 526391

Man, I wish I could transport to central Colorado tomorrow morning. I see a good set of posts tomorrow afternoon/evening! You got this and it is going to be awesome!!!

Sandy.

 

[lakeroadster]

Launch Report

1st and most importantly, all (3) motors fired. The rocket was recovered, crusty but with no damage. The Rocketry Gods were with us today - Much Respect.

The launch was initially stable, then morphed into anything but stable. The chute ejected about 20 feet off the ground and the chute didn't appear to slow the rocket much, if any. Fortunately, the rocket ground hit sitting upright, 227 feet west of the launch horse. The C-80 coupler took the impact in a direction that couldn't have been better, to prevent damage to the rocket.

Once we got home.... watching the frame-by-frame video is mesmerizing. Considerable AoA going on while still under thrust. Here are some screen grabs.

If you watch the video, set the speed to 1/4.

What I learned on this launch: Stability is an elusive bitch, when it comes to oddroc's.

 

[lakeroadster]

As @Daddyisabar had told me previously, the rocket was pretty much covered with residue from the black powder motors. Once I got home, I took some photos, then used our air compressor to knock of a lot of the residue. I then used a wet paper towel to remove most of what was left of the residue.




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It cleaned up nicely, and it appears the astronaut and his ride have lived to fly, yet another day.

 

[Sandy H.]

As @Daddyisabar had told me previously, the rocket was pretty much covered with residue from the black powder motors. Once I got home, I took some photos, then used our air compressor to knock of a lot of the residue. I then used a wet paper towel to remove most of what was left of the residue.


View attachment 526581View attachment 526582View attachment 526583View attachment 526584View attachment 526585

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
It cleaned up nicely, and it appears the astronaut and his ride have lived to fly, yet another day.

View attachment 526586View attachment 526587

WAY TO GO!!!!

Sandy.

 

[lakeroadster]

Here's the money shot...

 

[Daddyisabar]

Hummmm...He carries the moniker of Swing Kinder and his rockets have a tendency to swing thier hind ends. What could it be?

Very cool first flight.

When the thrust curve on the first motor ended the rocket went full 1979 roller disco. Long live the Boogie Nights!

A little sky writing up high is cool.

Short delay the way to go. Ejection ducting held three charges. Tractor Motored oddrocs rule!

Time for some E12 4s?

Did very well even with the staggered motor ignition.

Hah, hah, hah STAYING ALIVE!

 

[tsmith1315]

the rocket was pretty much covered with residue from the black powder motors.

The residue is great, it looks like a Mercury that has flown. I'd leave it there!

 

[Daddyisabar]

The residue is great, it looks like a Mercury that has flown. I'd leave it there!

But will the wife allow a dirty, stinky rocket back in the house?

Patina rules!

 

[lakeroadster]

But will the wife allow a dirty, stinky rocket back in the house?

Patina rules!

The residue is great, it looks like a Mercury that has flown. I'd leave it there!

I was removing the spent D motors from the rocket and told my wife I was doing that so they wouldn't smell up the truck. And she said, "Leave them in, I like the smell"

I've already removed the residue. I was thinking it might react with the paint / decals over time. The tower still has the burn marks however.

 

[neil_w]

Here's the money shot...

View attachment 526641

That is a fabulous picture, calendar-worthy (I might crop it in a bit to get rid of the sign in lower right).

 

[tsmith1315]

she said, "Leave them in, I like the smell"

She's a keeper!

 

[lakeroadster]

She's a keeper!

Indeed. 41 years of true bliss. They say you never really know true happiness until you are married, and then it's too late.

 

[Daddyisabar]

I was removing the spent D motors from the rocket and told my wife I was doing that so they wouldn't smell up the truck. And she said, "Leave them in, I like the smell"

I've already removed the residue. I was thinking it might react with the paint / decals over time. The tower still has the burn marks however.

The Good Wife!

Burn marks are like a red badge of courage back in the day.

 

[Daddyisabar]

The big question is after 40 years did you, for a moment, feel like a kid again, launching for the first time?

 

[lakeroadster]

The big question is after 40 years did you, for a moment, feel like a kid again, launching for the first time?

No doubt about it. The 2nd launch that included the Mercury LES, was much more high anxiety due to the complexity of the designs.

I still have a few more to launch:

• The Lifting Rocket (another tractor motor design w/ a cluster of (3) D12 motors, with a 4th D-12 motor as a pusher)
• The Rocket Sled Rocket (still gotta build the track)
• Ahpla: the 2 stage backward finned Alpha (in paint jail)
• Thunk!: The silo launched finless rocket (still gotta build the silo)
• The Luke and Vader Dogfight Rocket

 

[lakeroadster]

That is a fabulous picture, calendar-worthy (I might crop it in a bit to get rid of the sign in lower right).

 

[Daddyisabar]

View attachment 527348

Looks like something from a 60's Godzilla movie!

 

[lakeroadster]

I was discussing this rocket on another thread and referenced this video: Project Mercury Test Flights - Retro Documentary, Historical Narration and Footage, 1959-61, NASA

I re-watched the video and at 6:41 they show the beach test of the LES. At 7:09 when the rocket motors are done thrusting and the rocket is coasting / slowing down, the entire assembly starts tumbling AoA.

That's exactly the same thing my model did. I never understood why... but now realize it's the nature of the beast.

 

[Paul Howard]

Hmmm, interesting! Since during thrust, it's a "tractor" with the motors pulling and in that situation, CG and CP are almost irrelevant as long as both are trailing the thrust source while thrust is pulling the load. Once the thrust has stopped, then the CG and CP come into play while coasting through the air. Does the CG and CP follow the normal relationship of CG leading (in front of ) the CP in relation to the dirction of travel?

Cool rocket none the less, thanks for posting both sets of footage together!!!
-Paul

 

[lakeroadster]

Does the CG and CP follow the normal relationship of CG leading (in front of ) the CP in relation to the direction of travel?

If a fella buys into base drag for this rocket, it's stability is 2.23 calibers.

If a fella thinks base drag isn't applicable, it's stability is -.726 calibers.

I know the apogee looked like about 400 feet...