Does Paint add altitude?

[rockets]

Is there any color that adds altitude to your rocket?? I'm looking to do a 29mm MD. And I'm trying to get as much altitude as possible. I've heard that paint can add altitude to your rocket??
Thanks,

 

[jd2cylman]

Not a specific color... Just smoothness of finish.

 

[Steve Shannon]

There's two ways that paint might get you more altitude. If your rocket is too light, paint adds mass. You'd have to optimize for a particular motor to see what the optimal mass might be.
Second, if the addition of paint results in a lower drag coefficient, that will gain you some altitude.
Color has nothing to do with the altitude but may help you find the rocket afterwards.
Good luck!

 

[dhbarr]

Light colored rockets also don't heat up as quickly sitting on the pad.

 

[rms]

Come on guys, black paint gets warm and heat rises so a black rocket would have to go higher than lighter colours. On hot days it is surprising that a black rocket even stays on the rail and doesn't slowly rise up on it's own.:lol::wink:

 

[fyrwrxz]

If it don't go-chrome it. Sorry- wrong hobby!

 

[cbrarick]

If it don't go-chrome it. Sorry- wrong hobby!

so, you got yourself a chrome mopar, right?

 

[TRFfan]

Polish it and you should get more altitude.

https://www.rocketryforum.com/showt...-The-Magg-(or-How-I-Spent-My-Summer-Vacation)

 

[Nytrunner]

[total_BS]Depends on what effect you want. Red goes faster, Blue goes higher, but it's harder to see. [/total_BS]

Real talk: what the others said. Try and get as smooth a finish as you can, without adding 10 layers of paint (and the associated extra mass). If you Reeeealy wanted to try something, you could.......I don't know, weigh two different colors and see if the pigment of one is lighter? That's kind of a long shot.

 

[Flyfalcons]

[total_BS]Depends on what effect you want. Red goes faster, Blue goes higher, but it's harder to see. [/total_BS]

Real talk: what the others said. Try and get as smooth a finish as you can, without adding 10 layers of paint (and the associated extra mass). If you Reeeealy wanted to try something, you could.......I don't know, weigh two different colors and see if the pigment of one is lighter? That's kind of a long shot.

Someone actually did that with Monokote for his RC airplanes and found red was the lightest. So, all his planes were covered in all red. They looked like ass.

 

[Salvage-1]

I was always under the impression that a black and white body with red pinstripes (sometimes green, etc) and "County Sherriff" decals along its side would make ANY vehicle go faster.

Higher?? Green is the color of choice.

 

[blackjack2564]

Wanna go higher?......fill nosecone with Helium.:dark:

Paint color won't get you more altitude.....but it CAN give ya more ATTITUDE!

 

[rharshberger]

Color does nothing for performance, but if your rocket is lighter than optimum weight as built the paint can add additional weight so the rocket will coast higher.

 

[JohnCoker]

I should write an article on optimal mass; it's counter-intuitive. Maybe there's a way to come at it that doesn't require understanding the underlying forces. The "throw a feather" analogy might be a fruitful path to follow...

 

[dhbarr]

I should write an article on optimal mass; it's counter-intuitive. Maybe there's a way to come at it that doesn't require understanding the underlying forces. The "throw a feather" analogy might be a fruitful path to follow...

You wanna' go faster? Cut weight, but not so much the wheels come off.

You wanna' go higher? Add just enough weight so you can coast up that hill.

I think car analogies are so common because most folks in the US drive. *shrug*