Sort of a Solar Sailer???

[gdjsky01]

Many of you know of Chris Michielssen and his model rocketry building blog. Just a wonderful resource. And he is a master builder. Well his Solar Sailer II build got me thinking upscale.

Now I know that is NOT a unique idea. I get it. Coker did it as others have as well. And an upscale from a .97 to 2.6 is a LONG rocket. So instead I used liberal amounts of changes to come up with a 29mm powered "sort of Solar Sailer" scratcher. I would say "In the spirit of"

I am not sure this is the final ork file. And it may not even be practical. But its an idea. And I 3D printed using PETG the BT80 scaled BNC50J

Note I intend on using the dowels and stuff. Just don't think OpenRocket would care.

 

[BABAR]

Might make a good backslider!

 

[kuririn]

You could name it Keep It Simple, Sorta A Solar Sailor.

 

[BABAR]

You could name it Keep It Simple, Sorta A Solar Sailor.

Took me a few seconds….

 

[Huxter]

That's a great idea for a rocket! What parts did you 3d print?

 

[gdjsky01]

Sorry. I 3D printed the BT80 version of the 50J nose cone. I used PETG. Came out with a lot of little bumps but they'll sand out fine. And the fit was spot on.

 

[green dragon]

Will have to get a photo but I have a BT80 based " Solar Sailer 2.6 " upscale of the sailer 2... to scale, about 6 feet tall. flies good on an F motor. Still need to finish paint and decals.

 

[gdjsky01]

Will have to get a photo but I have a BT80 based " Solar Sailer 2.6 " upscale of the sailer 2... to scale, about 6 feet tall. flies good on an F motor. Still need to finish paint and decals.

Send my the rkt or ork file if you please. Thanks

 

[gdjsky01]

Latest, and maybe last iteration with OR. Close enough to get started if I can gather all the pieces from my scratch building stash. Which I can.

 

[gdjsky01]

Lets cut some tubing...




And a picture of the kit...

 

[gdjsky01]

This is a dry partial fit... gives you an idea as to the length. And that is not scale!




The couplers and 38mm CRs glued and filleted. One for the front and one for the back




Let us mark the TTW fin slots.


Let us cut from TTW fin slots.


Ok that is close enough.

 

[gdjsky01]

Added terminals to the bulkhead for a charge and cable cutter.


Little 30 minute epoxy to keep the nut feeling like a nut



Place the forward coupler. the bottom of the coupler will be flush with the forward 66mm BT80. The 2,5 meter shock cord is anchored in the forward end of the 38mm center tube with a LOC style attachment using 3mm kevlar for the 'loop'. Oh, and yes that is wood glue. No need for epoxy on the wood to paper joints.




Since the end of the 38mm tube you see is also the MMT, I can use motor ejection for various scenarios.

 

[gdjsky01]

I cut the vinyl for the gantries.


After gluing the aft coupler, I added two of the three fins. Aft meaning the coupler with CRs that attached the the center 38mm to the 2.6 inch (66mm) aft body tube (like you can see on the forward end).


Note the thin kevlar safety line I'll use to put the aft centering ring back out. It is not glued in. It is being used to center the MMT.

One all three fin's root edges are glued (wood glue BTW) and dry, I'll pull the CR out. Pour a fillet on each fin, then do a final push of the CR up against the fin tabs. The CR is not used for retaining. I have an Aeropack 38mm retainer and JB Weld for that.
Then I'll have to seal the edges of the fin slots and pour some outside fillets.

 

[gdjsky01]

Some fillet of fillets...
Wood glue


Then, some FnF for the wood grain. The front is fitted, but just for balance. No glued on

 

[gdjsky01]

Yeah... its been a bit. Life is happening, and it is not good.

But the ship is a refuge from all the other medical and financial woes because almost everything in it was paid for 10 to 20 years ago.

So I got the 'so called trusses' installed. Still using wood glue which means I have to use putty to fill in the little holes that form as the glue shrinks.

 

[Huxter]

I really like the size - looks great! Very inspirational!

 

[gdjsky01]

Some progress.

 

[gdjsky01]

Progress.

 

[jqavins]

Looking good.

What's the purpose of those couplers shown in post # 11? I guess those centering rings are for the step changes in the diameter, but why are couplers needed, as opposed to putting the CRs directly into the larger tubes?

 

[gdjsky01]

Started adding the vinyl I cut.

 

[Rob Campbell]

Son of a son of a Solar Sailer?

 

[Huxter]

Wow, that added alot to the look Vinyl looks to be very well done/made - nicely done!

 

[kuririn]

Good job laying out the vinyl.

 

[gdjsky01]

Next to it is my OD Mojave Mortar. Uses am ACME 54mm fin can

 

[gdjsky01]

A bit more vinyl progress

 

[gdjsky01]

More vinyl cut and applied. No longer worrying about it looking like the Estes original. More about my satisfaction. And getting it done.

I really like how this 'not quite true to the original' logo came out



The original had no 'cockpit'. I think I see why and may remove that before clear coating


Way over the top name decal. But I like it.

 

[MarsFire]

That looks awesome. Great job on that upscale!


Andrew

 

[gdjsky01]

Should fly this month if the weather (rain) allows. It uses very lightweight tubing. The whole schmear I think weighs in at under 2 pounds. Thinking G or small H for the first flight... not sure if I should go electronic or motor deployment, or both.

 

[gdjsky01]

It flew! Yea! Used a CTI 167-H70 with an Eggtimer Classic in the nose on up to 1370'. Used an apogee charge with motor backup to eject the chute bundle and an Archetype cable cutter (ty wrap cutter) to release the chute at 500'. It went fantastic! And then, inexplicably, the chute wound up wrapped around the TAIL. I have no idea how. Playing it back in my head only gives me the snap as the chute released and then the rocket sliding/falling backwards tail first with the chute wrapped around the tail. Not the lines! Its like the body backed into the chute???

Anyway the desert ground was soft from recent rains. The damage was limited to some cracks in the truss panel fillets and a ripped off rail guide at the tail. All repaired. But I have no idea what happen. I did not get a good launch photo because the launch system was acting up and 'all of a sudden worked'. I was not prepared as I did not know the LCO was jiggling, pressing, repeat. Then BANG it was gone.

 

[jqavins]

And then, inexplicably, the chute wound up wrapped around the TAIL. I have no idea how. Playing it back in my head only gives me the snap as the chute released and then the rocket sliding/falling backwards tail first with the chute wrapped around the tail. Not the lines! Its like the body backed into the chute???

That's just damn weird. But not too surprising. Well, yes, it's surprising when it happens to you, to a particular rocket on a particular flight. It's not surprising that damn weird shtuff happens now and then.

Speculation: deployment events are violent in nature. A cable cutting is less violent than an ejection charge, but it's still a sudden change in configuration, with a sudden increase in drag. The shock cord pulled at a particular moment in the body's swinging, yanked it in a particular direction, the body flipped due to the violent jerk and caught the chute before it could fully unfurl. The exact sequence is not really important, since the next random one in a- well, not one in a million, but one in many event will be different.

Anyway, I'm glad it was repairable and repaired. It's still a lovely rocket. At least the up was good.