What new things does the hobby want to see?

[Hobie1dog]

The Kate 2.0 system has GPS based deployment at apogee. www.Multitronix.com

a great product but unavailable for those of us living on SS Income.

 

[Hobie1dog]

I still see a void in the HPR kits of cool looking scale kits, like a 6 ft long, 6" diameter Harpoon, a 7ft. long Sea Killer, 8ft. long Mascura, etc.

 

[Conway Stevens]

a great product but unavailable for those of us living on SS Income.

A system like a Kate 2 would be something I'd expect not a bunch will buy due to cost. But as well as it's extreme use. How many are going to push past 100k flights? The cost to do such in itself is a bit large. This is why the sport units such as Missleworks, Eggfinder, Featherweight, BRB and others are a much more affordable package to do much lower altitudes potentially up to 50k. Again a 50k flight probably isn't cheap to build

 

[OverTheTop]

An effective and affordable active flight verticalizer system to keep vehicles close to their intended attitude (e.g. 85˚ above the horizon) to reduce dispersion of failure/ballistic trajectories and increase safety on the flight line.

Working on it...
https://forum.ausrocketry.com/viewtopic.php?f=56&t=6632* Some assembly required

 

[Bruce]

I'd like to see RocketFlite make an F80 Black Powder motor with 62.5 grams of propellant.

At 80 Newtons average, it would still be an LPR motor, but that higher thrust would help with direct staged rockets.

I would buy them by the dozens!

 

[Jeff Lassahn]

A CFD flight sim that handles arbitrary shapes and inputs the design from standard CAD file formats and can work as a plug-in with OnShape, SolidWorks, etc.

I know, I know, I'm working on it...
Well, I'm working on one that is subsonic only, if you're planning to go above Mach 0.6 or so you should probably find someone competent to do your software. I'm definitely doing this while hanging with the drunken clown bros.

Incidentally, one of the biggest limitations I 'm finding to getting CFD to work well is the lack of good real-world test data to compare it to. This hobby could really benefit from a good collection of wind tunnel data that gives Cd, CP, and such for a range of designs that aren't just 3FN sounding rockets.

 

[shockie]

More core-burn or partial-core-burn black powder motors (that have higher thrust than what's available now). It was great that Estes brought back the "Super C" C5-3. How about a C5-0 booster? How about bringing back the B14, especially the B14-0 booster. It would be great to have a D16-ish-0 booster as well.

Yup, I know that composite 18mm and 24mm motors are available-- I have them, and I fly them. But you can't do direct staging with them, nor do they have the nostalgia of traditional BP motors.

not to spoil the magic, but the "new" C5-3 is a full 2 Netwon-seconds less in power than the Original was. if you'd like I can post the NAR S&T from the original and the current and you can see the difference.

 

[shockie]

Wow, a lot of great ideas. In have to admit, though, that the first thing I thought of was for Estes to re-issue their LTV Scout kit! I had one back when and it was one of my favorites. With the new composite LP motors it would be even better.

Between all of our great vendors and suppliers we can clone just about anything these days, but the Scout was pretty accurate scale model and used a bunch of odd tube sizes, so it's tough to do right.

View attachment 445854

yeah I'll take a maxi LTV Scout powered by F's......

 

[shockie]

I would like to see my rockets flight in 3D on my phone, tablet or laptop, desktop pc......

 

[shockie]

Long burning low power. Say 10 seconds "C" impulse. I'd put one in a B

On that topic, trained rocket recovering monkeys.

I think these are called children

 

[jqavins]

Long burning low power. Say 10 seconds "C" impulse. I'd put one in a Big Bertha.

I'd love to see some more really interesting motors!

Okay, maybe not 10 seconds on a C. But a C3, and a D6, and a... Also, and especially, on the high thrust end, like the B14, a C16, or something like that. All in BP so they're all direct stagable. I know this is harping on an old these for me.

So, this is going to be somewhat off the wall but stems heavily from having a 3 and a half year old son. I'd love to see some good storytelling to go with kits. Think how toys like Transformers or Lego involve rich character development with TV shows, movies, comics, books, etc.

The FlisKits sci-fi kits have (or had) sci-fi blurbs that fit together into a combimed story. It's not all you're looking for, but maybe you could work with it.

Kate 2 has unlimited altitude capability.

Wow, really? I wanna put a rocket up to GEO altitude.

An HPR magazine...but hey, I know why not...

Yeah, agreed.

38mm and 54mm dual-thrust motors would be nice. CTI has the K590 54/6G and L640 54/6XL, but some I's, J's, and smaller K's would be just the ticket for some nice MD flights.

How about mid power dual thrust? E, F, and G motors with extra large initial kicks would be good.

A CFD flight sim that handles arbitrary shapes and inputs the design from standard CAD file formats and can work as a plug-in with OnShape, SolidWorks, etc.

Not to mention input from OR and RS.

 

[RocketRev]

The return of Rocketflite's titanium-flamed BP motors. They were very impressive!

I was thinking about these myself the other day. These were incredibly popular motors back in the day. But somebody reminded me that because of the single use, a person would need an LEUP these days to fly one of these motors. That's sad!

Brad

 

[RocketRev]

wireless launch controllers

Hello Shockie,

There are at least three wireless launch control systems available right now. Maybe there are more. So I can only guess that they are not what you're looking for in a wireless launch system. Could you give us more details as to what you're looking for in a wireless launch system?

Brad

 

[Walter Longburn]

a person would need an LEUP these days to fly one of these motors.

That's just if it's over 62.5 grams of propellant right? Some one should make C, D, E, and F motors(with BP and titanium). Surely there would be quite a few people who would buy them.

 

[Bill S]

There are options if you’d like to minimize components made in China - ASP, Rocketarium, LOC, North Coast Rocketry, SBR/Fusion Rockets, FlisKits, Squirrel Works, Mach1, Madcow, Discount Rocketry, Balsa Machining...they all produce LPR and MPR kits.

We - the enthusiasts who frequent forums and such - really aren’t the primary market for Estes so price point matters more for them than the smaller “specialty” kit producers. But it wouldn’t be a bad thing to see kits from Estes with a “Made in USA” label.

Or if not "Made in the USA", at least somewhere in Asia that's NOT China would be nice. Lots of other choices for countries.

 

[dr wogz]

One thing I would like, although not directly 'rocketry related', is for vendors, and mainly web store code to be able to calculate & work out the shipping to (at least) Canada correctly & consistently.

I don't see how hard it an be to have a web store actually recognize my address (it does) but then only spit out only UPS or Fed Ex "express international" shipping at $100 or $200!! (Greatly exceeding the cost of the item in most cases!)

I am OK with USPS, but I shouldn't have to accept whatever, only to then have an e-mail stream back & forth with the vendor to work out the exact 'parcel post' shipping..

 

[jqavins]

Many US vendors need to do a better job of that even for US addresses.

 

[Kevin O'Dell]

For those of us old enough to remember the Estes Electro-Launch......I'd like to see one that uses either a 3S or 4S Li-Po battery.

 

[shockie]

yea! come you 3D printer guys, I know you can do this!

 

[shockie]

Hello Shockie,

There are at least three wireless launch control systems available right now. Maybe there are more. So I can only guess that they are not what you're looking for in a wireless launch system. Could you give us more details as to what you're looking for in a wireless launch system?

Brad

well 1st it would have to pass the NAR safety code.
secondly, it would have to have a separate pad and launch control units.
third, it would have to be expandable in the sense that I could add a pad unit ....
I would like to have a switch that I can say fire pad 1, then flip the switch and fire pad 2....
using an Arduino would be a plus

what 3 are you talking about? got any URL's?

 

[shockie]

Or if not "Made in the USA", at least somewhere in Asia that's NOT China would be nice. Lots of other choices for countries.

like communist Vietnam.....? anybody remember them? American companies ought to be ashamed of themselves

 

[jqavins]

A low cost custom balsa parts service like BMS used to be. Laser cussing fins and CRs couldn be done in other materials as well. BMS had some problems with their catalog of configurable dimensions which a new outfit could do better, I hope. At low cost for low power.

 

[Bill S]

like communist Vietnam.....? anybody remember them? American companies ought to be ashamed of themselves

I wouldn't prefer Vietnam, personally. Didn't want to get too political.

 

[boatgeek]

A low cost custom balsa parts service like BMS used to be. Laser cussing fins and CRs couldn be done in other materials as well. BMS had some problems with their catalog of configurable dimensions which a new outfit could do better, I hope. At low cost for low power.

Is laser cussing what happens when the NC code fails because it was written by drunken clowns?

 

[RocketTree]

In Canada, I would like to see:

- More vendors - currently only one reliable source for parts, motors and kits.

- Rocketry clubs in Canada - Over 2000 mile (3400km) distance between the two closest clubs.

- Cost effective laser cutter for centering rings

- Ease of printing decals

 

[jqavins]

Is laser cussing what happens when the NC code fails because it was written by drunken clowns?

Yes. Yes it is. But laser cussing is also what happens after writing a forum post about lasers on a phone keyboard. (I hate thumb-talking.)

 

[cerving]

One thing I would like, although not directly 'rocketry related', is for vendors, and mainly web store code to be able to calculate & work out the shipping to (at least) Canada correctly & consistently.

I don't see how hard it an be to have a web store actually recognize my address (it does) but then only spit out only UPS or Fed Ex "express international" shipping at $100 or $200!! (Greatly exceeding the cost of the item in most cases!)

I am OK with USPS, but I shouldn't have to accept whatever, only to then have an e-mail stream back & forth with the vendor to work out the exact 'parcel post' shipping..

Eggtimer Rocketry flat-rates shipping, we typically adjust the charges annually. International shipping is usually via First Class parcel... typically it takes 2-3 weeks. First Class rates are pretty consistent given the relatively low weight of most of our shipments, so we average them out based on the typical size/weight of an equivalent shipment... sometimes we make a dollar on the shipping, and sometimes (more often, really) we eat two or three dollars on it. We're not going to get real worked up about a couple of dollars. FedEx shipping is a different story... for that, we weigh and measure the package and get a hard quote from our shipping partner, and we won't send you the invoice for the product until we have a good number. All of that requires some interaction with the customer, of course, but we don't do the "Add to Cart" thing anyway.

 

[Cl(VII)]

One thing I would like, although not directly 'rocketry related', is for vendors, and mainly web store code to be able to calculate & work out the shipping to (at least) Canada correctly & consistently.

Man, you and me both. Mine is such a train wreck I don't even let it try to calculate international shipping. Unfortunately, that means people outside the US have to submit an email of what they want, and then I invoice them once I've packed and weighed it. Pain for them and me, and I know it is putting an additional barrier to ordering in place that some folks just aren't going to climb...it shouldn't be that hard, I ship everything in the same 8x4x4 box!

 

[dr wogz]

Well, even just a few lines of code / option to say:
"order pending / contact me for shipping" and then let me continue & finalize the order (to at least ensure the items are confirmed to me..)

Typically, as it is now with most, I have to go thru all the entries & such, then pay for the order. Then the e-mail chain starts, and I'll usually get credited. And I may say 'no' at that point, after the discussion. But I have to commit to whatever cost is initially calculated.. And that makes me hesitant / think twice.. (what if I do agree to that $210 shipping fee, expecting the e-mail chain, but only to be told three days later "Oh, sorry, didn't we get back to you? well, it shipped yesterday.."

And some, where the address is just not recognized, so you can't even continue to make an order without resorting to an e-mail chain.. (and likely lose the sale item or discount - Black Friday sales for example)


My computer can analyze the stress & deformation of a complex structure thru thousands of calculation, taking an hour or two [FEM/FEA].. but it can't read a table and calculate a posted shipping rate?! that just baffles me! But at least I get ads in my "other" language (French, 'cuze i'm In Quebec!!)

 

[Sandy H.]

A low cost custom balsa parts service like BMS used to be. Laser cussing fins and CRs couldn be done in other materials as well. BMS had some problems with their catalog of configurable dimensions which a new outfit could do better, I hope. At low cost for low power.

If you could give a few examples of parts and what you think the market would pay, I would be glad to crunch some numbers.

From the efforts I've put out over the past couple of years, it seems that the rocket market specifically is so tight as far as cost/sell price goes that anyone trying to accomplish a custom cutting service (even with templates) is going to work for minimum wage on good days and will donate their time on others.

I'd like 90% of the rocketeers to stop being sooo cheap.. some will buy something to save a nickel all while the place selling the item thats more expensive end up out of business.. there is major financial support/revenue issues...and like I said to a vendor last night on the phone, and I will quote. "I buy from you to keep you in business"

God help us all if these vendors don't make money..

So let's save 7 cents on a thrust ring..

I understand that and think that if there was a bit more room for margin, there would be a few more boutique shops producing neat stuff as well.

Having said that, when I first got back into rocketry around 2000, I was more financially constrained than I am now and back then I would absolutely search tons of sites, add stuff to carts (if they had online ordering), check shipping and would buy from whoever had the lowest total. . . usually in the $5-10 range on a $100 order.

Once I started flying at clubs, I quickly switched to supporting onsite vendor(s) for most stuff, but still purchased bulk tubes and other items like that online due to a pretty big price difference.

I think the concept of 'you reap what you sew' applies and I have been part of the problem in the past.

I would like to see more kits, parts, motors components NOT made in china. I will pay the extra dollar to get a rocket kit made in the US.

Estes, are you listening????

I agree here as well, but I don't know how most companies would accomplish the goal and still make some profit.

The costs to tool-up for something isn't zero (even for laser cut parts due to programming time and is way more for cast items like nosecones). Attached is a picture of a prototype nosecone I made for a specific model and after running the initial run of 25 parts to verify production time etc., it would end up being a $5 cost part using the method I was employing. Even if it was a cool rocket kit (which I thought it was, but I doubt would sell for $20 complete, packed with instructions etc.), $5 for the cone killed the idea.

I think to make the same kit in China would cost a good amount up front, but if thousands sold, whoever did that would possibly make money. For a small shop trying to meet a market like those on TRF vs Estes reach, selling thousands of a single kit seems like a pipe-dream at best. Maybe I'm wrong. . .

Interesting discussion! I'll keep reading for sure.