Test & Evaluation Rocket

[Philip Tiberius D.]

Does anyone have a good suggestion for a T&E Rocket for checking out electronics, etc? I was thinking 24 or possibly 29 mm, at least 2.6 diameter or as big as 4, simple construction - 3/4FNC, 4 fins is a + for more drag and lower flights. Any thoughts. I kinda like the 2.6 T-Loc which deviates from the simple construction some but like the look (and drag).

 

[waltr]

I don't like the T-LOC fins as they look to be easily damged on hard landings. Also you would need to add a length to BT to have room for electronic.

What Electronics are you thinking of???
Dual Deploy?
Telemetry?
GSP?

I would suggest a LOC kit, maybe the HiTech.

 

[Philip Tiberius D.]

That’s the one - on a T-Loc 2.6. Thinking about it during my run the should have the ability to launch from a rod or 1010 rail. The Hi-Tech is a great kit (have one) but I don’t know mine to fly less than a 1000’, I’ll have to check sims. The rocket will be used to test my EggTimer electronics, apogee deploy, tracker, etc coupled with my JLCR. All in prep for my L2 in October.

 

[Philip Tiberius D.]

And one more add… fly relatively inexpensively to respectable altitudes, say 700 - 900 ft. No sense on paying for HazMat.

 

[PayLoad]

All parts from Public Missiles, 38mm with 29mm motor mount, it is exactly what I use it for.

 

[waltr]

OK.
I fly the LOC IRIS 2.26 inch Dual deploy with an Eggtimer Quantum:
F67 to 550'
F52 to 700' (Hazmat shipping but added to a buddies order)
G53 to 1000'
G76 to 1300'
This has a 29mm MM.

Maybe consider a 2.26" LOC (54mm ID). The Ebay and Nose cone has been plenty big to fit Electronics.
Been thinking of putting an Eggfinder GPS in the nose.
Here is my OR file of the IRIS with ebay:

 

[Scott_650]

The Balsa Machining Service 29mm powered 3” School Rocket - fully optioned you get a 5’ long rocket with plywood rings and fins, a payload bay, motor retention and recovery gear for $50 - can’t beat the value.

 

[Philip Tiberius D.]

OK.
I fly the LOC IRIS 2.26 inch Dual deploy with an Eggtimer Quantum:
F67 to 550'
F52 to 700' (Hazmat shipping but added to a buddies order)
G53 to 1000'
G76 to 1300'
This has a 29mm MM.

Maybe consider a 2.26" LOC (54mm ID). The Ebay and Nose cone has been plenty big to fit Electronics.
Been thinking of putting an Eggfinder GPS in the nose.
Here is my OR file of the IRIS with ebay:

Very cool and thanks for the list of motors.

 

[Philip Tiberius D.]

All parts from Public Missiles, 38mm with 29mm motor mount, it is exactly what I use it for.

Which kit or is it scratch built… sorry I can’t see the file. My only current operating systems are Mac based, my Windows XT finally bit the dust. Looking for a new platform for rocket work.

 

[PayLoad]

Scratch Built

 

[waltr]

Which kit or is it scratch built… sorry I can’t see the file. My only current operating systems are Mac based, my Windows XT finally bit the dust. Looking for a new platform for rocket work.

He posted an Open Rocket design file.
Open Rocket is free and will run on a MAC.
http://wiki.openrocket.info/Downloading_&_Installing

 

[lakeroadster]

Cool idea for a rocket.... a "Test Mule"

I'd be inclined to do a scratch build, something with through wall basswood fins so it would be durable.

24 MM D12 power would keep cost per flight low and you could always toss in a composite motor if you needed to lift something heavy.

It could be built as a modular design, with interchangeable nose cone vs payload section, that way it could be easily modified to meet the task at hand. And if you need higher altitude, you could always add a booster stage.

My unfinished rocket sled prototype rocket kind of meets that design.

 

[neil_w]

He posted an Open Rocket design file.
Open Rocket is free and will run on a MAC.

Go here for best installation instructions: https://www.rocketryforum.com/threa...d-mac-to-solve-all-your-java-problems.143540/

 

[Philip Tiberius D.]

Go here for best installation instructions: https://www.rocketryforum.com/threa...d-mac-to-solve-all-your-java-problems.143540/

That’s cool. Thanks. I decided to just use my North Coast Rocketry Vektra. It’s built so it saves me time and $$$ which I can use for motors at AirFest26. It’s a 29mm so I’ll have to use my 1010 but I’ve got it set up on ThrustCurve (NCR - Vektra) and the F loads give me choices.

 

[waltr]

29mm MM gives good options. The Estes 24mm to 29mm adapter work very well for BP and composite AT reload motors.

I do recommend running sims in Open rocket to ensure enough speed off the rail/rod, getting an approximate apogee and delay times.

 

[Ronz Rocketz]

Or just use Thrustcurve.org for rod velocity, etc...

 

[Philip Tiberius D.]

ThrustCurve is a good starting point for SIM work but comes out a bit on the high side - predicted 664 ft and I flew 624 ft which is well within the 20% variance of a motor.

 

[Back_at_it]

Does anyone have a good suggestion for a T&E Rocket for checking out electronics, etc? I was thinking 24 or possibly 29 mm, at least 2.6 diameter or as big as 4, simple construction - 3/4FNC, 4 fins is a + for more drag and lower flights. Any thoughts. I kinda like the 2.6 T-Loc which deviates from the simple construction some but like the look (and drag).

Check the Balsa Machine 29mm 3in School Rocket. Simple construction, very robust parts so it's pretty heavy and doesn't get huge elevation. Best part is that it's only $30. You can add a payload section for $12 more.

https://www.balsamachining.com/#
That said, the 2.6 T-LOC is also a great choice. No need to be concerned about fin breakage. I have 6 launches and 6 recoveries on mine with no issues other than some scratches.

 

[Not Quite Nominal]

Can't go wrong with tube fins. Easy to build, flies straight off the rail, won't go too high, and crash-resistant.

 

[Antares JS]

LOC Deployer

https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/in-praise-of-the-loc-deployer.165511/

 

[thzero]

I did mine out of BT70 tubing. Close to the 2.26" LOC tubing but far lighter there can run on Fs too.

 

[Sooner Boomer]

I you're still looking, you could build something like what I used for my L2 certification flight, https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/l2-cert-rocket.167952/
I plan on building a copy with a 29mm mount (I have the parts already). It would be very easy to make this dual deploy (motor eject, or altimeter).
I *might* get it built in the next two weeks.

 

[bad_idea]

I did mine out of BT70 tubing. Close to the 2.26" LOC tubing but far lighter there can run on Fs too.

What nose cone did you use with the BT70 tubes?

 

[thzero]

There is a dearth of nose cones for like BT-70 and BT-80 nose cones.

https://www.apogeerockets.com/Building_Supplies/Nose_Cones/Low_Mid_Power_Nose_Cones/PNC-56A_BT-70
is the one I use. I think erockets under semroc has a set of basla ones too.
https://www.erockets.biz/bnc-70/

 

[bad_idea]

There is a dearth of nose cones for like BT-70 and BT-80 nose cones.

Agreed, especially BT-70, which is a pity since it's a nice size for a sport rocket. I found the same options when I started the design of a BT-70-based test rocket of my own a month or two back. At the time, I went with a rather blunt balsa cone from BMS to keep the drag high and the rocket on the slow side.

The parts earmarked for my electronics test rocket ultimately went instead to a motor-eject build for Airfest when my electronics were delayed in transit. In the course of that build I found both that I liked the BT-70 size of rocket but also that I wanted a larger tube to work inside of when I built the test rocket. To that end I ordered more BT-70 and that exact cone from Apogee for a future sport flyer and am currently vacillating between BT-80 and something larger - probably 3" - for the test rocket.

 

[thzero]

Here is my av-bay... flew it last week. Has an Eggtimer Quantum in it, but can also run a Featherweight Raven4 or even an Missileworks RCC2. Pretty much anything of the size will fit in.

Works in the BT70 tubes, and even barely in the 54mm fiberglass tubes (with some new end caps). For BT80 and LOC 2.63 tubing I will just run same ebay but with different end caps.


This is a BT70 with the Apogee nose cone. Only did a single deploy with for apogee, and then had a JLCR with it at 300'.



Yeah like you, I think I'm doing a BT80 next to do some more testing with for true electronic DD; but beyond just more room inside I am also wanting more compact to get the electronics as far down as possible. This has like over 3 calibers between the fins, the body tube, and all the weight - there is a gps and another altimeter in the nose.

 

[k3td]

Wow, I came by tonight to post this same question asking for help with suggestions for a rocket to fly on F and G motors to test deployment and recovery options - THANK YOU for all the information and suggestions!

 

[thzero]

Yeah, I ran mine on F52 and F40 just fine. Going to do a BT80 version to compliment my bigger LOC stuff (2.63 and 3.0) that is just frankly heavier.