Real Science!

[jqavins]

I'm sure I'm not the first to bring this up. With the miniaturization of electronics and many sorts of sensors, our 4 - 10 inch HPRs could carry payloads that might do some science like "real" sounding rockets. Lots of the electronics that would have taken the better part of a 16" payload faring in the 1960s would fit on a credit card sized SBC with another credit card size custom PCB today.

A 6 inch min diameter rocket with a CTI-O8000 (40,960 Ns) could reach a somewhat respectable altitude, and if two of them are staged it could be very respectable. No, I'm not talking Karman line, but there are numerous "real" sounding rocket missions which don't go that high either. So amateur sounding rockets doing amateur science seems like it might be a real possibility.

So is anybody doing this, worthwhile experiments or observations at altitude? This can't be a new idea. Or is there some reason that I'm all wet?

 

[mbeels]

I would also be interested in hearing what others are doing. I've wondered what kinds of observations or data could be collected on more typical "model" or HPR flights that only do a few thousand feet. Measure the lapse rate? What else?

 

[QBrandt]

There are a whole lot of University teams doing stuff like this. https://spaceportamericacup.com/
If you don't want to dig too much into the details:
Take an 8.8 lb payload to 10k or 30k feet on a commercial, off the shelf (COTS) or student researched and developed (SRAD) motor. (Divisions by target and motor: 10k-COTS, 10k-SRAD, 30k-COTS and 30k-SRAD. Overall SAC winner can be from any of them.)
Payload can be boiler plate (i.e. steel ballast) or a functional science experiment or an engineering demonstration. Boiler plates have to conform to CubeSat standard size (10cm x 10cm x 10cm, up to 30x10x10). Functional payloads can conform for bonus points. There's another "Best Payload" category.

There are a couple of other University competitions with more specific goals that I know of.
Midwest High Power - Rules change each year, but generally require 2 flights. Objectives that I remember are "active drag system", "adaptable", "roll orientable", "efficient supersonic" and "photography/altitude". I think all of them require a student-made data collector, basically an altimeter. My team competed in active drag, roll orientable and efficient supersonic.
Argonia Cup - Launch a rocket to a minimum apogee. Land a golf ball payload on the target.

 

[tfish]

Data can be gathered from small model rockets too.

I've helped a local University with some NASA grants,

The s4 program was for High School students. https://s4.sonoma.edu/?page_id=169 I designed a 3" cardboard rocket that could go to 700 feet with the 8 oz payload on a G80.

The Rising Data program was for community colleges https://lbym.sonoma.edu/RisingData/node/5 It used a modified Big Daddy on E20-4 to 400 feet with it's payload.

The small motors, low altitudes and model rocket status allowed them to be flown at the schools with the proper permissions.

They just got a new grant where the Big Daddy will be used again. NASA’s Neurodiversity Network (N3): Creating Inclusive Informal Learning Opportunities Across the Spectrum: Lynn Cominsky, Sonoma State University

Tony

 

[tfish]

Heck, I forgot probably the longest running program...ARLISS https://aeropac.org/index.php/arliss-homepage

Tony

 

[dvdsnyd]

Lots of cool stuff going on these days with rockets! Here's another.

ARLISS

ARLISS is more of a student competition where teams build small cansats that fit in airframes of level 3 rockets.
ARLISS

Here's also a link to where the guys on the Rocketry Show Podcast talk to Ken Biba about the ARLISS project.
Rocketry Show Podcast, ARLISS

 

[dvdsnyd]

Heck, I forgot probably the longest running program...ARLISS https://aeropac.org/index.php/arliss-homepage

Tony

You must've just beat me to it, Tony

 

[Funkworks]

So is anybody doing this, worthwhile experiments or observations at altitude? This can't be a new idea. Or is there some reason that I'm all wet?

I consider myself to be on that track. I just get distracted a lot.