Silverleaf
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- Joined
- Feb 22, 2003
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Howdy,
I just recieved my Quest Nike-K kit from the Ebay auction, and it got me to thinking about my Nike-Sandhawk project.
The current planned design is:
A single C or D Estes powered Nike booster, igniting a 2nd stage C or D Estes Sandhawk.
The Nike-Booster will have an inner-airframe tube to contain the ejection gases as much as possible - sealed on both ends by centering rings and will have a small side tube that contains the shock/kevlar chord recovery system.
The upper stage Sandhawk will have a small side stuffer-tube at the rear of the rocket that houses the Nike-Booster parachute till seperation happens. (See attached image)
This whole design is based on my desire to make a gap-staged Nike-Sandhawk a reality, without using any electronics.
Why?
I personally see no reason to pay out substansial amounts of money for electronics when normal staging methods may work. If this falls through, well maybe..lol
Honestly, as it stands, I have no experience with staging timers and the like, and don't want to mess with trying to figure out payload bays, and everytthing else for a fairly simple design. If this was a mid or hight power design... well I'll leave that to the experts. 8)
So... I've come across a few questions that I didn't find the answers to when I searched the archives on Gap-Staging. So I thought I'd ask here.
1) What is the maximum length in inches that a booster engine could be from the upper stage, and successfully ignite ?
In the archives, one person mentions success with a 6 inch gap...but is that the max?
Would I be wrong to assume that a D engine booster should have more lighting power than a C engine booster for such gap-staged events?
In regards to the vent hole, I have 3 questions:
A) I understand that a vent hole needs to be added somewhere between the booster and upper stage engine - but is there a minimum distance that the vent hole should be above the booster?
B) Will a single Hole Punched hole be sufficient, or would 4 holes equally spaced round the airframe be better?
C) In reference to my design, the inner airframe is sealed, so a vent hole placed in this inner-tube might not function properly, in this case, should I make this venthole extend to AND through the outer airframe for proper pressure balance?
Sorry for all the questions..
I just recieved my Quest Nike-K kit from the Ebay auction, and it got me to thinking about my Nike-Sandhawk project.
The current planned design is:
A single C or D Estes powered Nike booster, igniting a 2nd stage C or D Estes Sandhawk.
The Nike-Booster will have an inner-airframe tube to contain the ejection gases as much as possible - sealed on both ends by centering rings and will have a small side tube that contains the shock/kevlar chord recovery system.
The upper stage Sandhawk will have a small side stuffer-tube at the rear of the rocket that houses the Nike-Booster parachute till seperation happens. (See attached image)
This whole design is based on my desire to make a gap-staged Nike-Sandhawk a reality, without using any electronics.
Why?
I personally see no reason to pay out substansial amounts of money for electronics when normal staging methods may work. If this falls through, well maybe..lol
Honestly, as it stands, I have no experience with staging timers and the like, and don't want to mess with trying to figure out payload bays, and everytthing else for a fairly simple design. If this was a mid or hight power design... well I'll leave that to the experts. 8)
So... I've come across a few questions that I didn't find the answers to when I searched the archives on Gap-Staging. So I thought I'd ask here.
1) What is the maximum length in inches that a booster engine could be from the upper stage, and successfully ignite ?
In the archives, one person mentions success with a 6 inch gap...but is that the max?
Would I be wrong to assume that a D engine booster should have more lighting power than a C engine booster for such gap-staged events?
In regards to the vent hole, I have 3 questions:
A) I understand that a vent hole needs to be added somewhere between the booster and upper stage engine - but is there a minimum distance that the vent hole should be above the booster?
B) Will a single Hole Punched hole be sufficient, or would 4 holes equally spaced round the airframe be better?
C) In reference to my design, the inner airframe is sealed, so a vent hole placed in this inner-tube might not function properly, in this case, should I make this venthole extend to AND through the outer airframe for proper pressure balance?
Sorry for all the questions..