Dr. Zooch Return To Flight Space Shuttle build thread- #2

[Dr.Zooch]

First off, further thought on the low rider orbiter issue- I volunteer to do the "kid's rocket bucket" at Red Glare. This is where any kid coming to see the show, most of whom have never launched a rocket before, can just come to the Zooch booth, select a rocket from the MDRA club bucket, and I help them (and especially their parents) rig, load and launch the rocket- often it is their first ever launch. They can come back again and again too. It's all free of charge or fees and just intended to spark intrest. Normally, on Friday, there are not very many of these newbees and I take that day to launch my own stuff, because Saturday and Sunday are really busy- this year, TONS of kids and parents. But, on this Friday, a group of ten 6th graders showed up and they had each ordered and built my I-CAV kits and were itching to fly. They flew the things almost to pieces. I was a bit more busy than usual and when the Shuttle low-rider test was set up. It went bad- near ballistic, horizontal and popped just about 12 feet off the ground. I managed, during the day, to re-locate the orbiter's lugs forward, back into their stock position, flew it at the end of the day and it was fine.

On the way back to the field the next morning I was pondering the bad flight. It struck me that I had accidently used the FlameFins from the Lifting Body kit! So, I replaced the lugs into the low rider position- but Saturday was so busy I never got to shoot it. Sunday the winds were so BRUTAL I could not do the flight. So- we won't know for sure for quite a while. During May's launch I'll be in Florida for two... somewhat larger... shuttle launches. Unless someone else reading this here tries the configuration, I won't be able to fly it until at least mid-June.

 

[mjennings]

I'm not sure of the dates of the STS-125 / STS-127 launches off the top of my head but SRA flies about 45 min south of KSC, ROCK is in Northern Orlando, and NEFAR is north of Daytona in Bunnell, I'm sure any or all would welcome you. I usually fly with SRA, but may try to make it out to a ROCK launch in the

I just looked
STS-125 May 12 SRA flies on the 16th
Goes-O on an Delta IV goes a few days after 125
LRO / LCROSS June 2 Atlus V
STS-127 June 13

SRA dates May 16 and June 20 https://www.spaceportrocketry.org/
NEFAR dates May 9-10, and June 13 https://www.nefar.net/
ROCK Dates May 2 https://www.r-o-c-k.org/

Oh had another question is the Explore 1 kit at the AF museum on CCAFS different for the one you have online in anyway?

 

[Dr.Zooch]

Yes!... the kits at the CCAFS Museum Store say "Juno I" on the boxes and have an "approved" history sheet in the instructions... those are the only differances. But you can only get the Juno I kit at the CCAFS Museum Store, their deal with me is exclusive.

 

[Fred22]

I missed Zooch's test flight yesterday afternoon since I had to leave the field early. He said it was "nearly ballistic" when I spoke to him today. However, he used flame fins from a different kit that are smaller than the intended Shuttle flame fins. He didn't realize this until afterwords. The jury is still out. Maybe the larger fins will help.

I flew mine today with the original setup.

Just awesome
Cheers
fred

 

[Dr.Zooch]

-snip-I flew mine today with the original setup.

Foose is getting REALLY good at shooting these in-flight photos. The shots of his orbiter were taken from about 25 to 30 yards away. If he gets as good at shooting photos of the rockets as he is at building and finishing, we all have really great things to look forward to.

Nice job foose-man!

 

[luke strawwalker]

Yeah those are some TERRIFIC photos Craig!!! I can get good liftoff shots but in-flight is something else again...

It's been too windy and wet to fly (not complaining about the wet part, we've been in a KILLER drought up til last Saturday then get nearly 1/4 of a year's worth of rain in one afternoon-- go figure... ) so I've been working on something shuttle-related...

I've got the major components coming along nicely but haven't assembled them yet, and can't until I get a few things for it... Hope to at least "mock it up" and take a few pics and get them on here, even if I don't have everything I need yet to completely finish it... until then, here are a few 'teaser shots'...

Later! OL JR

 

[Fred22]

Yeah those are some TERRIFIC photos Craig!!! I can get good liftoff shots but in-flight is something else again...

It's been too windy and wet to fly (not complaining about the wet part, we've been in a KILLER drought up til last Saturday then get nearly 1/4 of a year's worth of rain in one afternoon-- go figure... ) so I've been working on something shuttle-related...

I've got the major components coming along nicely but haven't assembled them yet, and can't until I get a few things for it... Hope to at least "mock it up" and take a few pics and get them on here, even if I don't have everything I need yet to completely finish it... until then, here are a few 'teaser shots'...

Later! OL JR

Shaken not stirred Luke
Cheers
fred

 

[foose4string]

Thanks Fred. Thanks Dr. Zooch. Thanks JR.

I'm using the old Digital Rebel and an old lens my wife got with her 35mm film SLR. That lens has a bunch of (age)spots on the lens which I can't seem to get rid of, and it drives me crazy every time I use it now. I'd love to take the new gear to launches(40D and the new lens), and she wouldn't mind, but this old gear does ok and wouldn't be as heartbreaking if something happened to it out on the field.

 

[luke strawwalker]

Thanks Fred. Thanks Dr. Zooch. Thanks JR.

I'm using the old Digital Rebel and an old lens my wife got with her 35mm film SLR. That lens has a bunch of (age)spots on the lens which I can seem to get rid of, and it drives me crazy every time I use it now. I'd love to take the new gear to launches(40D and the new lens), and she wouldn't mind, but this old gear does ok and wouldn't be as heartbreaking if something happened to it out on the field.

They REALLY do look good... and it takes some skill to get them in the frame and keep them there!

I'm using my new Fuji S2000HD, which takes some awesome burst mode pics, only downside is, it takes between about 3 to 10 seconds after you release the shutter button to write the pictures from the buffer to the flash card. So, you can take some cool liftoff shots, but basically you can't get any more until it's on it's way down or about to land. I used the burst mode at my wife's school function the other night, Asian Explosion, (she's a club sponsor) and got some neat shots of the breakdancers, but it does take a bit to get it written to the card. Still learning!

Have to switch to regular mode for taking in-flight shots... plus, my skills are WAY rusty... when I was in high school I used to video nearly every flight, and did fairly well at keeping it in the frame, even on a seperation I caught the booster coming in ballistic and then almost miraculously turn sideways and slow down dramatically just before impact and bounce 6 feet high, but suffer almost no damage. My eyes aren't as good as they used to be though... but I'm gonn keep working on it!

Yall have a good one! OL JR

 

[luke strawwalker]

Here's some super spycam pics I smuggled out of Drax Industries of the new Moonraker. Still a work in progress as you can see, but it's starting to come together. Hope mine doesn't develop a fault during assembly...

My munificence is boundless.... bwahahahahaahhha....

More later! OL JR

 

[Dr.Zooch]

OMG!

Now... that is actually a version I NEVER even considered.

 

[Fred22]

Here's some super spycam pics I smuggled out of Drax Industries of the new Moonraker. Still a work in progress as you can see, but it's starting to come together. Hope mine doesn't develop a fault during assembly...

My munificence is boundless.... bwahahahahaahhha....

More later! OL JR

:jaw::clap: Amazing

fred

 

[luke strawwalker]

fred

Thank you... thank you very much...

What'd be amazing is if I could conjure Dr. Holly Goodhead out of some spare balsa and cardstock... LOL Oh well I can dream...

Got the OMS pods on tonight-- still working on the cabin. Also got the body flap glued on.

Hey Doc, where'd you get those teeny tiny nylon screws?? They're 4-56 right?? I got some today at the hardware store but they're too big...

Ok, gotta hit the sack-- Corrinne Dufour wants me to come look at something in her bedroom... :eyepop: Later! OL JR

 

[rosko_racer]

Here's some super spycam pics I smuggled out of Drax Industries of the new Moonraker. Still a work in progress as you can see, but it's starting to come together. Hope mine doesn't develop a fault during assembly...

My munificence is boundless.... bwahahahahaahhha....

More later! OL JR

One word comes to mind...!!! AWESOME !!!:headbang::clap:

 

[Dr.Zooch]

PM me your snail mail (again) and I'll send you some- I have about 2,000

Thank you... thank you very much...

What'd be amazing is if I could conjure Dr. Holly Goodhead out of some spare balsa and cardstock... LOL Oh well I can dream...

Got the OMS pods on tonight-- still working on the cabin. Also got the body flap glued on.

Hey Doc, where'd you get those teeny tiny nylon screws?? They're 4-56 right?? I got some today at the hardware store but they're too big...

Ok, gotta hit the sack-- Corrinne Dufour wants me to come look at something in her bedroom... :eyepop: Later! OL JR

 

[stargazerdave]

Hi,

I'm new here... first post!

I just wanted to thank everyone for posting such excellent information regarding this kit. I saw one in a local rocket shop and scooped it up after reading this thread. I'm just putting on the finishing touches and hope to make the maiden flight as soon as the high winds we've had over the past week subside.

Thanks as well to Dr. Zooch for producing such an enjoyable kit and for the entertaining instructions. I look forward to building the Saturn V kit (which just arrived in the mail today) once this kit is done. I suspect I'm going to have a room filled with little white boxes before long

Dave

 

[Dr.Zooch]

First off- WELCOME to the forum.

Feel free to post any sort of questions concerning this kit here- lots of us here to support your build and your flight. Don't be shy.

 

[mjennings]

Welcome to the forum, this is a great kit, Hope you get good weather soon, this one is a lot of fun to fly.

 

[stargazerdave]

Thanks for the warm welcomes! Hope to have a flight report in the near future.

 

[luke strawwalker]

Hi,

I'm new here... first post!

I just wanted to thank everyone for posting such excellent information regarding this kit. I saw one in a local rocket shop and scooped it up after reading this thread. I'm just putting on the finishing touches and hope to make the maiden flight as soon as the high winds we've had over the past week subside.

Thanks as well to Dr. Zooch for producing such an enjoyable kit and for the entertaining instructions. I look forward to building the Saturn V kit (which just arrived in the mail today) once this kit is done. I suspect I'm going to have a room filled with little white boxes before long

Dave

WELCOME!!! The more the merrier! Remember one thing... PICS... WE LIKE PICS!!!

Between work, farm stuff, and doing some home repairs for my folks, and the weather we've been having (somewhere between nuts and absolutely insane) I haven't gotten either my shuttle or lifting body flown yet, and we have water standing once again from nearly another 2 inches of rain with more predicted for the rest of the week and into the weekend.

Maybe conditions will improve enough to fly soon... I hope so...

Til then post some pics of your build and flight! Good luck! OL JR

 

[mjennings]

hey ship some of that rain to Florida, we're high enough on the drought index right now my club might cancel the May launch.

 

[stargazerdave]

Finally got a nice day for a launch.

First flight: I was a little bit chicken, so I used a B6-4. Lovely flight, not much altitude. Stock orbiter (Discovery) spun a bit on release, but settled into a nice glide for a gentle landing. Orbiter and SRB/ET assembly both landed within 30 feet of the launch pad.

Second flight: I decided to load a "C" motor for Columbia (featuring wraps generously shared by folks here). Much better altitude, but the orbiter did not separate. It had a slightly more snug fit than the other one, and I suspect this and the fact I used a C6-5 instead of a C6-3 were the cause. full stack landed relatively gently about 30 feet from the pad. Vertical stabilizer on the orbiter bent a bit due to landing under SRB/ET stack... easy fix.

Third flight - Discovery orbiter and C6-3: beautiful launch, perfect separation. Orbiter circled the SRB/ET stack all the way down... until the SRB/ET assembly snagged a branch 30 feet up in the ONLY tree in the field

Tried unsuccessfully to rescue the SRB/ET assembly using a few poles taped together. May try to snag with rope tomorrow evening.

In any event, the three flights I got were worth the price of admission! I suspect I'll order another kit regardless of the outcome of tomorrow's rescue mission - this kit is truly a treasure.

Dr. Zooch - I sent you an email re: shipping charges to Canada for another kit via your website. Look forward to hearing from you.



Dave

 

[mjennings]

Nice work, and great launch picture, I still haven't been able to get one coming off the pad like that. To bad about the tree, good luck on the rescue attempt.

 

[stargazerdave]

The launch photo is a single frame of video from a little point-and-shoot camera. I was alone, so I set the camera to record video and set it on top of my range box.

I plan to head out this evening for rescue attempt #2. Rain is expected overnight, so this will likely be my last shot. I should had another kit built as Endeavour and had it ready to fly...

 

[RangerStl]

Keep us posted on the rescue...

 

[stargazerdave]

Well... I spent about an hour throwing tennis balls tied to fishing line about 35 feet up in the tree. Several times, I managed to get the tennis ball suspended from a branch and bumping into the side of the boosters and attempte to get them to tangle together... but to no avail. As the drizzle began to fall from the clouds, the third and final ball joined the first two as an artificial "fruit" up in the tree.

I began to pack up to leave empty-handed, then two guys that must have seen me throwing things up in the tree - from the distant entrance of their temple - came by to see what I was up to. The didn't speak much English (we have one of the most ethnically-diverse cities in the world here in Toronto), but I managed to explain what I was trying to do.

The next thing I know, one guy was boosting the other up into the tree. I was trying to discourage them from doing so (I could just picture the poor guy plunging from the tree with rocket in hand... Dr. Zooch garbage bag chute fluttering all the way). But a few minutes later, he managed to dislodge the booster and tossed it down to the ground!

I offered to give them a few bucks for their trouble, but they declined and seemed content to check out the rocket they had just rescued.

There was very little damage - a small ding in one of the flame fins, a small dent in the ET nose cone, a very small tear in the top of the ET and a couple small blemishes on one SRB nose cone - in addition to a few cosmetic scuffs that I can probably cover over. Even my cherished garbage bag chute was undamaged! The drizzle wasn't heavy enough to cause any problems. It'll probably take a half hour's work to get it airworthy again (excluding the drying time for the paint touch-ups).

I suspect I'll still buy another kit... just in case this ant crew didn't learn its lesson!

 

[mjennings]

Glad you got her back. Also glad to hear of such acts of kindness as you received.

 

[luke strawwalker]

Hey, that's cool... just when you're ready to give up all hope on human nature... :bangbang: You read of a random act of kindness that restores your faith in humanity... at least until tomorrow... LOL:dark:

Glad you got your stack back in good shape! I STILL haven't had a chance to fly mine... I've been SWAMPED with work, and every time I get one thing done two more seem to crop up. Good news is we've had four calves in the last week... bad news is, first my Dad's powerchair (he's partly disabled) front axle collapsed when the frame weld gave way, he and Mom got a new "side door" bathtub they bought on the internet, but which won't fit into their house, so they decided to have me 'build a mini-bathroom' on the porch and run all the water lines, drain lines, and power to it, which has kept me swamped the last week and half or so, I've had regular farm work to do on the other farm over both of the last two weekends, including last weekend when I missed the club launch, I have some badly needed barn repairs to start working on this weekend with my brother, and probably a day or two next week trying to figure out what's wrong with my folk's Dodge Caravan, which seemed to either stick a brake caliper or burn up a wheel bearing, causing the rotor to get misaligned and drag the brake the point the wheel was smoking when they got home, and flashed the water they sprayed on it with the garden hose into steam.... They just had a complete brake job done at the dealership about two or three months ago, replaced the calipers and all, so it's weird that it'd lock up a caliper that's supposed to be new. Have to dig into it and take everything apart Monday, I guess. I also have the 200,000 mile work to do on the wife's truck before we take it to Indiana this summer... new plugs, O2 sensors, belt, radiator hoses, radiator/cooling system flush, transmission fluid/filter change, rear axle oil change, motor oil/filter change, and need to troubleshoot the trailer wiring connector in the back... seems I have no passenger brake/turn signal light power on the trailer plug at the back of the truck. ALWAYS SOMETHING!

At least I haven't had to pull any calves or assist in the deliveries... so far all the momma's have done VERY well on their own in that regard... School lets out in three weeks, so maybe soon I can get my Shuttle(s) and Lifting Body(s) up in the air...

Later and keep us pictured up with your flights!!! OL JR

 

[Peartree]

Luke,

Just a thought, but if the dealership did a complete brake job, you might want to take it back to them so they can fix it under warranty (as in free).

 

[luke strawwalker]

Luke,

Just a thought, but if the dealership did a complete brake job, you might want to take it back to them so they can fix it under warranty (as in free).

Yep, thought of that, but there's two problems: 1) the dealership is 90 miles away in Victoria, TX. and 2) brakes are considered wear items, and therefore not covered by warranty. IF the dealership dug into the problem and determined (and admitted) it was either a)faulty parts or b)incorrect assembly or some other fault of the technician then they probably WOULD cover the parts and labor to correct it; at least they certainly SHOULD! BUT, OTOH, if they dig into it and say, "oh well, wheel bearing went out (or whatever else, like a faulty antilock brake valve or something, etc) there was nothing wrong with the parts we installed or how we installed them, they'd stick my folks for another big repair bill. I thought they were pretty nuts the first time around having the dealer do the brake job anyway, as dealer shops are the MOST expensive and really 'stuck it to them' AFAIC because 90% of the time you DON'T replace the calipers, and probably 75% of the time don't replace the rotors.

Besides, it would cost them either 1) probably $400-500 bucks to have it towed 90 miles to Victoria, or 2) $40 in gas, a steak dinner, and whatever money I missed taking off work to haul the van to Victoria on one of our farm trailers. They decided to just pay me to do the work, buy whatever parts I need to fix it, and call it good...

Lesser of two evils ya know... OL JR