Seeking Advisor for Space Shot

[IComeFromM31]

Hello everyone!

I am an undergrad at Rowan University hoping to be completing a NASA fellowship starting in June. I am president of our student chapter of AIAA and the project-lead for our Intercollegiate Rocket Engineering Competition (IREC) team.

The beauty of the IREC competition is that, as long as you can prove its safe, you essentially can launch. As i scale up my design to get into the SRAD (for homemmade engines) 30k category of the competition, questions are coming up that my university faculty and local NAR mentors can no longer answer.

I was hoping that the community here may be able to direct me to literature regarding propellant design and thrust characterization, nozzle and casing design, and thermodynamics of rocket flight at higher than mach 1 (fastest ive flown).

As I've said, my uni faculty and NAR advisors are no longer to answer some of these big questions just looking for some guidance!

Cheers

 

[mpitfield]

The knowledge of how to do this or who to ask is here on the forum, however the how part is likely limited to the "Ex" side of the forum which is restricted. As a non-US citizen I am not permitted in that sub-forum, but you may be.

 

[IComeFromM31]

So exchange of that sort of information on this forum is prohibited?

 

[MClark]

Are you trying to go to space or the 10-30,000 feet of IREC?

M

 

[eggplant]

So exchange of that sort of information on this forum is prohibited?

There is a section of the forum dedicated to research like this. You need to show the moderators that you are a NAR/TRA certified US citizen to gain access.

 

[Incongruent]

Discussing homemade motors and their parts is, on the public forum. On the research forum, the topic can be discussed, but you have to apply.
The process: https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?17943-Research-Forum-Access

Motor thermodynamics would be in research, but supersonic aerodynamics (if that's what you meant) is discussable.

 

[DavidMcCann]

TRF now hosts a restricted forum related to Research Motors. Requirements for access are:

1) NAR or TRA senior member
2) US Person (US Citizen or US Permanent Resident (Green Card Holder))
3) High Power Certification (Level 1, 2 or 3)

To request access to the forum, please send an email to [email protected], including
1.) your TRF username, the
2.) email address associated with your TRF account and
3.) a statement that you are a US Citizen or US Person, requesting access to the Research forum. You must also attach
4.) a scan or picture of your current NAR or TRA Membership card, that shows HPR certification. A picture of the card taken with a digital camera or phone is fine, as long as the card image is legible.

Please allow up to a week for access to be granted -- we're all volunteers and things come up.

Please do not include scans of identification cards (driver's license, passport, etc)

If you are a parent/legal guardian/older sibling of someone who does not qualify for access, allowing someone otherwise not eligible for access to use your account to access the Research forum will result in permanent loss of access to the Research forum.​

Last edited by troj; 12th December 2014 at 08:57 AM.​

 

[IComeFromM31]

This year I am participating in the 10k Cots category with a team of 7.

Next year id like to fly in the 30k category

In the not so distant future, funding provided, I have ambitions for the space shot.

Im seeking advising for botht the 30k and space shot as propellant manufacturing is something i have not delved into yet, or the extra considerations that need to be made at M1+ speeds or heights where the pressure and temperature differerntials are substantial.

 

[IComeFromM31]

Thank you David! I am in the process of gaining NAR certifications but am not a senior member, how does one endeavor to gain that status?

 

[DavidMcCann]

Thank you David! I am in the process of gaining NAR certifications but am not a senior member, how does one endeavor to gain that status?

Be over 18. nice and easy

 

[DavidMcCann]

This year I am participating in the 10k Cots category with a team of 7.

Next year id like to fly in the 30k category

In the not so distant future, funding provided, I have ambitions for the space shot.

Im seeking advising for botht the 30k and space shot as propellant manufacturing is something i have not delved into yet, or the extra considerations that need to be made at M1+ speeds or heights where the pressure and temperature differerntials are substantial.

There are commercial motors that can get you to 30K, if you're not specifically looking to get into that

 

[IComeFromM31]

Absolutely! But given the time i can put into this over the summer im excited to try and learn this for myself as many groups make their own propellant for the IREC competition.

 

[dave carver]

The standard book of formulations and the science behind it is https://www.amazon.com/dp/0470080248/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20 Uni's teach from this book, it's got all you need to know.

 

[Nytrunner]

Absolutely! But given the time i can put into this over the summer im excited to try and learn this for myself as many groups make their own propellant for the IREC competition.

As a former IREC competitor, I can tell you many groups *attempt* to make their own motors.

A lot of those use a commercial backup when the homemade motor doesn't come together or perform sufficiently.

 

[IComeFromM31]

a backup would be necesarry, definitely. As an aside, i took the same picture on that dinosaur in green river.....

 

[Nytrunner]

a backup would be necesarry, definitely. As an aside, i took the same picture on that dinosaur in green river.....

Woo!
The counter dude at the station said I could have it if we found a way to get it out of the ground. I'd have been seriously tempted if we'd had a trailer.