Guess the Altitude, Win a Prize!

[rcktnut]

GOOD LUCK!!!!! 11,700 ft.

 

[nukemmcssret]

My extrapulation will be 12,635 FT Hope you certify with your flight.

 

[troj]

Temporarily locking the thread, until after the flight...

I will unlock it again afterwards.

-Kevin

 

[troj]

In case of a significant failure (motor CATO, airframe failure, etc) there will be no winner. There must be a "fairly nominal" flight -- if there's a recovery system failure, but the altimeters still provide information, then the contest is still on.

Okay, so this clause is being invoked (unfortunately)...

I'll post pics later, but the altimeters are in no condition to provide any sort of data. So, I'm going to figure out another way to award the prize.

That said, the up part was really awesome! The down part, and its result, was pretty awesome, too, just not in the way I would have preferred....

-Kevin

 

[DM1975]

I was rootin for ya. Such a cool flight too.

 

[DAllen]

The down part, and its result, was pretty awesome, too, just not in the way I would have preferred....

NNNOOOOOOOO!!!!!

:bangpan:

Kevin...you know I (and everyone else who has flown a rocket) feel for ya. Better luck next time.

-Dave

 

[Peartree]

I heard that you crashed a rocket and I was SOooo hoping that it wasn't this one.

I'm sorry for your loss...

 

[troj]

I've joined a rather exclusive club -- the folks who've entirely buried a 12' tall rocket. The butt-end was 6" under ground!

I have pictures I'll post once I get home.

-Kevin

 

[DM1975]

It looked awesome going up though. And with such a clear day I had no problem following it all the way down either. I felt so bad for you when it didn't open up, but then I remembered the ribbing I got when my L2 rocket crashed up in Nebraska and suddenly I felt a lot better...

 

[quickburst]

The pictures sound interesting and I'd love to see them. Hell .... he flight was interesting. Crying shame it didn't work out for you.

I'd be willing to bet the next try is a booming success.

 

[WillMarchant]

Darn, really sorry to hear that, Kevin!

 

[rcktnut]

Sorry to hear things did not go well. A report on what you know or suspect caused the problem would be appreciated. Iv'e witnessed a few flights with back up DD that went straight up and come straight down with no recovery events.

I could see something "coming loose" with extreme g force flights, but the ones I've seen were "normal", nothing extremely fast. Maybe we could start a separate thread, with others that may have experienced this chiming in.

 

[Fred22]

Sorry pal. Better luck next time
Cheers
Fred

 

[daveyfire]

Oh man Kevin, that's really no fun... again. Hope the post-mortem goes well.

I've joined a rather exclusive club -- the folks who've entirely buried a 12' tall rocket. The butt-end was 6" under ground!

You, along with Tim Lehr, Dennis LaMothe, the OuR project, and others I'm probably forgetting... that's some good company to be in, at least! I remember someone (Neil Davis, I think) referred to it not as burying a rocket, but "planting a rocket tree"

 

[BsSmith]

Ouch...

How does one go about getting a 12' tall rocket out of the ground? It seems that it would require a very large hole.

 

[BBrown]

Ouch...

How does one go about getting a 12' tall rocket out of the ground? It seems that it would require a very large hole.

That's easy! You send in the recovery dog! Kevin will have to post the pictures.

 

[troj]

That's easy! You send in the recovery dog! Kevin will have to post the pictures.

If Payload had made the ride, she could've kicked the recovery out for me!

-Kevin

 

[Peartree]

Ouch...

How does one go about getting a 12' tall rocket out of the ground? It seems that it would require a very large hole.

At least a part of the answer is that the rocket is no longer 12 feet tall...


(Sorry Kevin)

 

[troj]

At least a part of the answer is that the rocket is no longer 12 feet tall...

Nope, it's not!

The coupler started out life about 4 feet ahead of the rear of the rocket. When last seen, it was about 2 feet ahead of the rear of the rocket....

-Kevin

 

[sylvie369]

10' AGL :dark:

I guess Will should have gone for 10' BGL.

 

[cjl]

Oh man Kevin, that's really no fun... again. Hope the post-mortem goes well.



You, along with Tim Lehr, Dennis LaMothe, the OuR project, and others I'm probably forgetting... that's some good company to be in, at least! I remember someone (Neil Davis, I think) referred to it not as burying a rocket, but "planting a rocket tree"

Sean Serell did it on his 2nd L3 attempt too (granted, this one only started around 7 feet tall):

Oh, and I'm really sorry about the rocket Kevin. It was a beautiful boost, and I just felt almost sick watching it coming in. Your next attempt (when you get around to it) will work perfectly, I'm sure.

 

[Fred22]

Sean Serell did it on his 2nd L3 attempt too (granted, this one only started around 7 feet tall):

Oh, and I'm really sorry about the rocket Kevin. It was a beautiful boost, and I just felt almost sick watching it coming in. Your next attempt (when you get around to it) will work perfectly, I'm sure.

OMG:eyepop: That is the most amazing lawn dart I have ever seen.
Cheers
fred

 

[cbrarick]

Sorry to see the lawn dart! Do you know what happened? Do you have any pictures of the "up" part?

 

[troj]

BTW, if you didn't see them, there are pictures starting about midway down this page.

Leading candidate is that while the ejection charges were ground-tested, in flight with aerodynamic forces on the nose, they were insufficient.

But, we have no evidence as to whether the charges fired, or not -- they were too far buried, and we couldn't reach them.

-Kevin

 

[Mindcrime]

I know I am disqualified to win the prize. It lit on the first ignitor!! Maybe not a good thing

 

[troj]

I know I am disqualified to win the prize. It lit on the first ignitor!! Maybe not a good thing

When I took Smemo's Folly out to the pad, I stopped and told Bob I had grabbed a spare igniter or two....then pulled out a bag with about a dozen igniters in it.

Lit the first time.

-Kevin

 

[Adrian A]

I was sorry to hear about that, too. Kevin really took it well. That was a very impressive hole.

 

[MaxQ]

Well damn.

You know, Kevin, for whatever reason....I have to confess I thought you were already a L3.

So, if it makes you feel any better, you're a Level 3 in my mind.

Look at the bright side, you may have the lead position in the "how dep can you go?" contest.