Clustered and Staged Build

[powderburner]

Boris,

Way to go! on a spectacular launch, that looks like a skill-level 100 (at least)

Now, please remain where you are, they should be there shortly to pick you up....

 

[boris katan]

Decided that it was time to stage the VooDoo Daddy again.

Previous to today, this rocket has flown 8 times burning 64 engines. All Estes D's and E's.

Fired every engine every time using Rocketflite igniters / ematches.

It has flown several firsts for me:
> Cluster
> Clustered and staged
> Electronic deployment
Also my son Paul's first cluster too.

Pictured below loaded with 16x D engines for today's flight:

Stage 1 (white) loaded with 4x D12-0 (center) and 4x D11-P (outboards)

Stage 2 (red) sustainer loaded with 4x D12-5 (center) and 4x D11-P (outboards)

H power = 280 Ns with BP engines
.

 

[boris katan]

The good news:
Set up a Perfectflite MT3G timer to fire the 2nd stage outboards. 2nd stage inboards fired by stage 1 D12-0's.

The HA45K altimeter is there to fire a back up (to engine deploy) ejection charge at apogee.

Two Duracell 9V alkalines in parallel supply power to both devices.

The bad news:
There is no electronics bay in the rocket. So a small (24mm) pod contains the timer and altimeter, and the pod, the batteries and wiring are all taped to the outside of the rocket.

When the RSO questioned whether the batteries would stay attached to the rocket, I assured him confidently that I would add more "rocketry" tape at the pad.

 

[jj94]

So uhh...what happened?

 

[boris katan]

SUCCESSFUL FLIGHT

Fired all 16 engines in both stages plus the ejection charge. Rocket reached 1316 ft altitude.

Had to climb through brambles and dense brush for half an hour, then pulled rocket from a small tree. Minor damage to NC.

Movie here:
https://bpasa.com/bpasa/bMovies/VooDoo2stage.wmv

Group of Vikings, I mean CMASS members checking out the rocket pre-launch.

 

[boris katan]

Got some great pictures from Doug Gardei.

These pictures clearly show that the first stage was partially under power when it was kicked off to one side by the upper stage.

This is what caused the brief twist in the flight path that can just be make out in the movie clip.

 

[boris katan]

Rocket (sustainer) weighs 2 lbs without engines or electronics. Don't normally use any electronics for the mostly single stage, engine ejection flights.

For this flight, with 16 engines, plus first stage and electronics, rocket weighed just over 4 lbs at the pad.

Other than a transient twist in the flight path during staging, the rocket flew straight up, reaching 1316 ft altitude reported by the altimeter. I had expected the rocket to weathercock slightly, but it did not, making recovery slightly more difficult.

By comparison, in a previous single stage flight powered by 8x E9-6's with a passive altimeter on board, the rocket hit 1458 ft.

Pictures show all engines fired. The ematches used to fire the second stage outboards are still visible.

Top of first stage was burned too much to be used again, and the nose cone will need some repair. Other than that, the VooDoo Daddy is in great shape.

Using Rocketflite ML igniters in 2007, and Rocketflite prototype MF ematches in 2008, this rocket has burned 80 engines in 9 flights, firing every engine every time. Also fired the ejection charge today with an MF ematch.

 

[jj94]

Great pics! Congrats on the successful flight.