Questions about separate parachute for nosecone assembly Estes Longship

[Bill S]

I've got an Estes Longship that the nosecone keeps on hitting the rear fins, and someone suggested attaching a separate parachute for the nosecone and letting it come down on its own. I have never done this before, so I have some questions:

1) How large of a parachute should I use on the nosecone? Its 1.32 oz and is 9" long or so. I was thinking a 9" or 12" cheapo Estes parachute attached to the base of the nosecone?

2) There currently is 4' of #100 kevlar and 4' of 1/4" cotton swimsuit elastic attached to the rocket. If the nosecone isn't attached, and there is less (none?) need to slow down the nosecone, etc, how long of a shockcord should the rocket be using between the body and main parachute?

3) I imagine that one would pack the main parachute as usual, then put the smaller parachute+nosecone on top of that. Is this correct? Any benefit in putting say a sheet of wadding between the two parachutes to minimize tangling of lines, etc?

 

[Antares JS]

You should find this helpful.

https://www.apogeerockets.com/education/downloads/Newsletter546.pdf

 

[Bill S]

Antares, thanks. I don't think he addressed the length of shock cord needed question, but I only did a quick skim of the article, since I have to go to an appt now.

 

[Antares JS]

I don't want to give you a number as I don't own a Longship, but I would think your shock cord won't need to be as long without a significant mass on the other end of it. Though the shock cord you described already seems really excessive to me.

 

[Lee]

Perhaps the nosecone could get by with a streamer? Or even just freefall?

 

[Bill S]

Perhaps the nosecone could get by with a streamer? Or even just freefall?

The nosecone has decals on it, etc, so freefall or streamer would probably result in damage to them.

 

[jrap330]

Again nose cone only 1.32 oz, so a small, plastic chute is ok, 12 inches, 9 inches , even smaller. Plastic cone so it is durable. Shock cord length is immaterial, since there is no heavy cone attached. Go 12 or 18 inches. And yes nose cone parachute is pack on top. As for wadding if you want to put a piece between the two chutes , why not , a little extra protection. Again issue is, installing two chutes into the body tube. I had the Alien Probe and no issues with 2 chutes or shock cord length. 300 feet apogee , should allow you to recover both in a small field.