Senior Space Cadet
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Spin is another thing I'm looking at. That, and more fins. Four, instead of three or six instead of four.Just a small angle of incidence maybe 5-deg or so on those canards would add a good spin and maybe slow it down even more.
...My main approach to keeping rockets low is drag...
Another method to increase drag is to make the fins thicker: a wedge cross-section fin, for example, kind of like the vertical stabilizer on the X-15, you know? Easy to make from cardstock or built-up balsa and ply, depending on motor size and strength required.
I'm with you.I like rockets with drag. None of my rockets are designed for performance or high-altitude flights. I don’t have the eyesight for tracking high-altitude flights, and I don’t like searching for lost rockets or even walking very far to recover them.
My main approach to keeping rockets low is drag. And the main way to achieve drag is by increasing body tube diameter, so a lot of my rockets tend to be fat. I prefer drag over weight to keep things low, and one of the reasons for that is I like long-burn motors. Long-burn motors are generally for higher altitude flights, but if you can design a rocket to be light enough, but still have a lot of drag, you can use a long-burn motor to get it off the pad at a safe speed, and then the rest of the burn is spent fighting drag. Nice, long, slow flights that don’t go very high.
One way to do it is to use extremely lightweight materials, like foam. I’ve built a couple with foam rings covered in a cardstock skin, and one solid foam rocket.
I'm already using 1/8 balsa for my fins. Rather than going with more fins, I could move up to 1/4 inch balsa sheet. Thicker fins, good tip.Another method to increase drag is to make the fins thicker: a wedge cross-section fin, for example, kind of like the vertical stabilizer on the X-15, you know? Easy to make from cardstock or built-up balsa and ply, depending on motor size and strength required.
I was thinking about designing a finless rocket, or nearly finless, by putting a cone at the back. The problem with that is it also moves the CG back. More ideas to play with.start looking at saucers, cones, spools, and pyramids.. low, way low! slow; super draggy! And usually no recovery needed. Helicopters too.. They look lethal! but fly!
start here:
https://www.artapplewhite.com/free/index.html
I was thinking about designing a finless rocket, or nearly finless, by putting a cone at the back. The problem with that is it also moves the CG back. More ideas to play with.
I've always wondered why the X-15 had a wedge shaped tail. Were they deliberately increasing drag at the rear to improve stability?
I don't think it would. seems it would help the CG.Why would a paper cone affect the CG more than fins?
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