Getting back into it

[The Rocket]

Hey y'all!
My name is Michael. I used to love shooting off model rockets as a kid. It's been about 20 years since I launched one (I was a teenager back then). Now, I'm getting back into it but I'm wanting to do it with some technology. I'm finishing up my degree as a software engineer, so naturally I want to put some tech in a rocket. My hopes are to be able to use a 3D printer to create a mechanism that I can use for thrust vector control, along with being able to collect data for each flight with sensors (altitude, speed, acceleration, etc.). If anyone else on this forum has done this I would love to hear from them, their experience and what did or didn't work. I'm looking forward to getting back to it!

 

[cwbullet]

welcome back!

 

[smstachwick]

Hey y'all!
My name is Michael. I used to love shooting off model rockets as a kid. It's been about 20 years since I launched one (I was a teenager back then). Now, I'm getting back into it but I'm wanting to do it with some technology. I'm finishing up my degree as a software engineer, so naturally I want to put some tech in a rocket. My hopes are to be able to use a 3D printer to create a mechanism that I can use for thrust vector control, along with being able to collect data for each flight with sensors (altitude, speed, acceleration, etc.). If anyone else on this forum has done this I would love to hear from them, their experience and what did or didn't work. I'm looking forward to getting back to it!

Bps.space used to sell a custom thrust-vectoring rig for extremely long burn motors like the AeroTech G8. I believe that particular system and motor are basically unobtanium now but it’s been done.

For data collection there are a bunch of manufacturers of compact altimeters and instrumentation packages. Eggtimer is popular, so is Perfecflite. There are more. Check the forum’s vendor directory.