Survey on Lost Rockets

[AndreasRocketry]

Hello everyone, I have recently started a new project and created this survey to determine the frequency of which people lose their rockets.

It would be greatly appreciated you guys could take a couple of minutes to answer these questions.

Feel free to leave any feedback or questions over the survey or my project, as I will be keeping up with my social media as much as I can.

If you are curious about my project, I will be creating a device that will deploy a balloon into the air as the rocket lands to create a visual marker of the rocket’s location. It is meant to replace or enhance certain techniques or previously created devices that help locate a rocket after it has launched.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1...2xQiKIyqL1O9oZiJaJeHLqHA/viewform?usp=sf_link

 

[lakeroadster]

@AndreasRocketry The link doesn't work

 

[Hobie1dog]

nope, bad link

 

[AndreasRocketry]

Thanks for the replies, the link should work now.

 

[Hobie1dog]

works now, I completed it for you.

 

[AndreasRocketry]

works now, I completed it for you.

Thanks!

 

[les]

One question was difficult to answer. Would you use this new device/concept. The options were YES or NO.
I did answer YES, but..... How big? How heavy? How expensive? How practical (my last rocket got lost in Soy Beans that were well over 3' tall. You could be within 2' of the rocket and not see it. I assume the balloon will have a tether - how long?

Also - define LOST.
I've lost rockets to rocket eating trees. Technically, I know right where the rocket is - I just can't get it.
Or lost it because the flight/landing caused so much damage that the few pieces left are virtually useless? But if you limit lost to physically "where is it?", then my loss rate is is smidgen over 1% (6 truly lost rockets out of 566 flights).
So again, if the weight/size makes it difficult to use in a LPR, and the cost is too high, than I would not see me using it for only a 1% loss rate.

 

[Blankjorge]

My Son flew a Gizmo at the last launch in Manchester, Tn. (after that launch the field owner pulled the plug). Anyway, the Gizmo ended up deep in the trees and even if we had a tracking device, all we would have gained is to know which tree. That was 8-10 years ago.

I got a call from Chris Short (Chris's Rocketry Supplies) about a month ago. A hunter had found the Gizmo and knew someone who flies with Tripoli. Chris is on the Tripoli Board. He shared a picture of the recovered rocket and asked if I recognized the Gizmo. Soooo...I'm getting my Son's Gizmo back. Now, does that count as lost???

((My Son was going through a Holstein Rocket phase thanks to Burl Finkelstein. There's no mistaking it!))

 

[AndreasRocketry]

One question was difficult to answer. Would you use this new device/concept. The options were YES or NO.
I did answer YES, but..... How big? How heavy? How expensive? How practical (my last rocket got lost in Soy Beans that were well over 3' tall. You could be within 2' of the rocket and not see it. I assume the balloon will have a tether - how long?

Also - define LOST.
I've lost rockets to rocket eating trees. Technically, I know right where the rocket is - I just can't get it.
Or lost it because the flight/landing caused so much damage that the few pieces left are virtually useless? But if you limit lost to physically "where is it?", then my loss rate is is smidgen over 1% (6 truly lost rockets out of 566 flights).
So again, if the weight/size makes it difficult to use in a LPR, and the cost is too high, than I would not see me using it for only a 1% loss rate.

Thanks for the feedback, this is exactly what I was hoping for. The purpose of the survey was to help me come up with some design criteria for the product and determine who the target demographic for it would be.

I was thinking of creating a device that could be used interchangeably between mid-power to high power rockets, where it would release a tethered balloon up a considerable distance the rocket could be found in situations where its well hidden by the environment. Some constraints I have already made for it are that it needs to be compact and relatively inexpensive, but as I see more ideas and feedback the list will increase.

The more people that take this survey and leave their concerns, I'll have a better idea of what qualities the final product will have.

About the definition of a "Lost Rocket", I was thinking that a lost rocket would be one where you can't find it and have no clue as to where it is. Losing rockets to trees and extreme damage is something I haven't considered and another factor I will have to look into.

 

[AndreasRocketry]

My Son flew a Gizmo at the last launch in Manchester, Tn. (after that launch the field owner pulled the plug). Anyway, the Gizmo ended up deep in the trees and even if we had a tracking device, all we would have gained is to know which tree. That was 8-10 years ago.

I got a call from Chris Short (Chris's Rocketry Supplies) about a month ago. A hunter had found the Gizmo and knew someone who flies with Tripoli. Chris is on the Tripoli Board. He shared a picture of the recovered rocket and asked if I recognized the Gizmo. Soooo...I'm getting my Son's Gizmo back. Now, does that count as lost???

((My Son was going through a Holstein Rocket phase thanks to Burl Finkelstein. There's no mistaking it!))

Nice story, I think its crazy how the rocket survived for that long out in the world.

To answer your question, losing a rocket to the environment would count as a lost rocket.

 

[Sparkyflyer14]

Can't wait to see the results!

 

[Tractionengines]

As a BAR (Born Again Rocketeer) for about 3 years now. We (me and 3 young kids have only lost a few rockets.)
(3) MPR's all lost to trees. ( Estes Amazon, Estes Big Bertha, and LOC EZE. ) we could see each rocket in a tree but +/- 70ft up.
We have also "lost" as in disappeared 5-10 mini low power rockets. (ALL Estes types: i.e. 13mm Up Aerospace, Luna Bug, swift, Mosquito, etc ) They can't carry any payload, so your project will not help us. But good luck with it.

 

[waltr]

I have one in a tall tree, not lost but not recoverable. It also has a RMS case and Eggtimer altimeter in it. Goo thing No GPS.
Have only lost two rockets in 3 years, a 24mm and a 6mm.

 

[ksaves2]

Saw a guy get an M powered rocket caught in a power line on a telephone pole. Called the power company and they came right out. The workers had to pull some switches on other poles to reroute power to the customers on the line and kill the power to the line the rocket was on. There weren't many other customers so it wasn't a big deal to reroute power to them for the short time it took to get the rocket off the line. The flier asked how much he owed them and the electrician said, "Nothing, we rather you call us than trying to go up there and get it yourself."
Now I've read in TRF that some power companies aren't so nice about it and charge to recover rockets on the power lines. Kurt