No more stagefright!!

[Chris TNR]

About 3 years ago, I started a thread titled,"How many stages?"
https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4627&perpage=20&pagenumber=1

At that time, this rocket was 4 stages of which was quite a successful launch. I even managed to recover everything which I didn't expect on doing.

Well, as time would have it, I found that I had to get the max thrust out of my blood so I went and got my L1 & L2. I flew all the H, I, J, and K's, and now find myself back in MP. Might have been the money, not sure really!!

Anyways, it seems that my family members (also rocketheads) remember me saying that I was going to put yet a 5th stage on this of which after reading my original thread, I realized I opened my big mouth and sure enough, I did!!
Sooooooooo......I pulled it off the shelf, dusted it off, and built me a 5th stage for this rocket. However, with the lift-off weight now being a bit much for just 1 D12-0, I had to make the 5th stage a cluster of 2 D12-0's. It also has a transition that is funneled on the I.D., so as to manifold the ejection flame more efficiently to the #4 booster.

CP and CG have been adjusted and were ready to go. Going to try and launch this next Sat.-May 20th.....
All ny team rocket members are giving me a pretty lot of guff on this, so it is imparitive that this launch goes well

Don't worry, I'll be back with the report on Sunday with pics. Maybe even video if I ever figure out how to load it.

[Edit] Sorry, forgot to mention what it's flying on....(2)D12-0'S to D12-0 to D12-0 to D12-0 to C6-7



-Chris

 

[ECayemberg]

Very cool Chris! Best of luck with the flight, and hope you get all the stages back again!

I had to try for 5 stages. I took an old Estes Mini Cobra, extended it, made simple stages, and launched it on (4) A10-0T's and an A3-4T. Flew stable, and got back all but one stage (tall grass).

Good luck!

-Eric-

 

[Rocketmaniac]

Cool project... I have not seen a lot of staged flights. Well, a number of 2 stage like the Mongoose. But only a few of Comanchee-3 flights. Of those few flights, only one or two in which all 3 stages were recovered. So I think recovering 4 stages is a great flight.

Good luck with the 5 stage flight.

 

[AIM-54C]

I think this is a good challenge to test the the proper design and construction tecniques. I have always had an interest in scratch built multi-staged rockets. The most complicated rocket I have built was a three staged rocket with a cluster of four engines on the first stage (well, there was one 13 engine cluster , but the parachute didn't come out and crashed).

I am very curious as to how much nose weight you had to make your rocket stable? Is the CG of your rocket pretty far foreward?

This project makes me want to go back to low-power clusters and multi stages, and the cost is much cheaper, like you said.

Let us know how the launch goes.