Baby Steps

[doug_kosty]

So.... I have a desire to creep toward dual deployment. I was looking around at my little rocket collection, and my eyes stopped on a Semroc Lil Hustler. This is perhaps my favorite model despite its propensity towards landing on other people's cars.

My notion is this:

1) Get a dual deployment altimeter.

2) Fly it a couple of times in altimeter only mode to get a very good notion of how the model is flying, and lets face it, have some fun.

3) Do a stretch modification to the payload bay - basically add a coupler and extend the bay a few inches. This should create plenty of room for an apogee deployment scheme wherein the nosecone would separate for the main parachute. There would not be any backup deployment scheme, although I suppose that I could rig a second charge to go off as a backup.

4) Fly that a few times. Uh, for my own education....

5) Drill a hole through the transition coupler and place a drogue parachute in the body tube wherein the main usually sits.

6) Fly that a few times. "honey - its for science"


My only hesitation is that I fear for my club members automobiles....


Comments and suggestions are welcome. I've gotten lots of good perspectives offered on my other posts!

Thanks in advance.

 

[Handeman]

Your plan sound good, but....

I would spend more time ground testing. Just let your neighbors know what you're doing so they don't call the cops.

I would recommend when you build the altimeter bay (it needs to remain sealed from the section where the charge goes off) tape over all the holes except the one you attach a tube to. Suck on the tube to create a vacuum and simulate a flight. You should be able to get about 2,000 ft. You'll be able to test the altimeter, the size of your charges, the ematches/Xmas tree bulbs/whatever you use. By the time you get all that testing done, you might want to just go out and fly the rocket in dual deploy mode.