Why can't amateur rockets reach space on an O motor?

[ali8bongo]

So it is a due to a combination of several factors including the fact that the rockets were not O motors, they were Q motors. Thanks for all of the info.

 

[Binder Design]

It's not the HTPB stuff we use. Also the ARCAS is a wire-burner not exactly an end burner.

It was a plastisol in a wired end burning configuration. I've built and fired several wired end burners, a few with aerospike nozzles so it is possible to improve on the technology. The casing insulation is the limiting factor in duplicating the design.

And the fact that it was fired from a gun or a booster was used because it lacks the thrust to safely launch at an acceptable speed.

 

[CarVac]

Okay, so butalane doesn't mess around with empty space in his rockets, but I would still be interested in knowing the mass breakdowns.

Bare Necessities was 49.5% propellant by mass.

 

[SpaceManMat]

Are our recovery systems really that much heavier than the payload in a sounding rocket? They aren't just going up for giggles (like we are!), they have instrumentation packages.

Obtain altitude records, learning about aerodynamics, phiscics and building techniques isn't exactly "for giggles". However does anyone know of an instrument unit suited to our sized rockets?

 

[T34zac]

Obtain altitude records, learning about aerodynamics, phiscics and building techniques isn't exactly "for giggles". However does anyone know of an instrument unit suited to our sized rockets?

Have you looked into the new Apollo board?

https://makezine.com/2014/09/21/rocket-scientists-are-arduino-at-heart/

 

[SpaceManMat]

Have you looked into the new Apollo board?

https://makezine.com/2014/09/21/rocket-scientists-are-arduino-at-heart/

Seen it and signed up, but no idea about when it will be produced

There is also https://code.google.com/p/ninja-scan-light/