Zebedee
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 22, 2013
- Messages
- 708
- Reaction score
- 2
I'm thinking of making a scratch built 3 D/E engine cluster rocket which would consist of 3 body tubes, each glued to the other two along their long axis in a triangular arrangement as you look from the end. Each tube would have it's own nosecone and one fin.
I'm wondering about the aerodynamics of the hole down the middle of the rocket (which would fit a 1/4 rod for launching) and what fins would be required for stability since I don't think I can simulate this in OR.
A single tube on a D12 would hit ~1000 feet and 250ft/s - I'm not sure if that's slow enough to allow airflow down the central cavity or it would create sufficient turbulence at the front of the rocket to make it unstable. I read in another thread that launch lugs are draggy partly because air does not flow nicely through them at higher speeds.
My other alternative is to have two tubes on each side of a longer central tube (like a Falcon Heavy plus fins).
Thoughts?
I'm wondering about the aerodynamics of the hole down the middle of the rocket (which would fit a 1/4 rod for launching) and what fins would be required for stability since I don't think I can simulate this in OR.
A single tube on a D12 would hit ~1000 feet and 250ft/s - I'm not sure if that's slow enough to allow airflow down the central cavity or it would create sufficient turbulence at the front of the rocket to make it unstable. I read in another thread that launch lugs are draggy partly because air does not flow nicely through them at higher speeds.
My other alternative is to have two tubes on each side of a longer central tube (like a Falcon Heavy plus fins).
Thoughts?
Last edited: