TARC ROCKETRY HELP SOS

[SharmaA26]

Hey guys, (SOS) So recently our team had started up a TARC club out of thin air and have only been designing our rocket for two weeks. Qualification flights are also in two weeks... and we're on a crunch. So far with the zero experience that we have we dove headfirst into a bunch of tutorials on how to use openRocket and this is what we have conjured up:

• We have a 3D printed nosecone printed out of PLA thats connected to a 2.7in upper body that (should at least, lol) store two hens eggs and an altimeter
• Below that we have a 3D printed (filled) transition that should be made out of PLA connected to a body tube that holds an F-40W10 rocket motor.

It's not looking so hot right now, and are aware that openRocket simulations are not that accurate but thats what we have as of right now to go off of, as it says we are reaching 800+ ft, when it should target 790. If you guys have any tips or concerns let us know and your input would be greatly appreciated into helping us grow.

For some reason we can't uploaded pictures so if you are interested in seeing our design and materials let me know, but PLEASE IF YOU CAN HELP WE WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT!!!

 

[SharmaA26]

 

[High Desert Rocketry]

View attachment 676891

It says your apogee is 872' but that looks like it is with only one egg (two are required) and your stability says less than 1.
If you add a second egg (mass up front) that should decrease your apogee and increase your stability or you could increase the height of the fins.

 

[cls]

openRocket simulations are not that accurate

That is completely untrue. Like everything else on a computer, it's garbage in, garbage out. In other words, your simulation results are only as good as the accuracy of your simulation design and flight conditions.

Measure your rocket components to the mm and gram. Include the weight of glue, too, and the exact weight of the eggs and packing. Be honest about the quality of the finish of your rocket.

Use a good meteorological instrument (Kestrel) to record atmospheric conditions at launch. Launch several times. Launch under different conditions. Keep good records of all that data.

Use the Cd override in OR to make the simulation results match the actual launch conditions and results.

At that point your simulations will be within a few percent of actual.

But, don't get your heads stuck in the darn computer. Get out and fly! Do it a bunch. Figure out what works.

Enjoy the journey.

 

[WillMarchant]

These are great questions for your NAR mentor. If you don't have one then send email to [email protected] and Carl will set you up with someone from your local NOVAAR club.

 

[DavidBellhorn]

Qualification flights are also in two weeks... and we're on a crunch.

Is there a reason you are rushing to complete Qualification Flights in the next two weeks? The official submission deadline is April 7, 2025.

 

[James Duffy]

One comment about Rocksim and OpenRoc simulations: while they are immensely valuable, they all assume that your rocket is assembled perfectly. In decades of doing this I have yet to build a perfect rocket. So, with that in mind, I advise new TARC teams that their first simulations will be ~20% high, and that their actual altitudes will be lower than the prediction by roughly that percentage. (The experience of others here may be different.)

Also, no need to rush your first qualification flights, as Mr. Bellhorn notes above. The most successful teams fly at least 20-30 times before attempting a qualification flight.

 

[Capt. Eric]

Is there a reason you are rushing to complete Qualification Flights in the next two weeks? The official submission deadline is April 7, 2025.

Perhaps the confusion is with the deadline to REGISTER your team on December 1st. But you have until April 7 to make your qualifying flights.

 

[SharmaA26]

Is there a reason you are rushing to complete Qualification Flights in the next two weeks? The official submission deadline is April 7, 2025.

No where we are at, Haymarket VA, we have only found qualification flights near us at NOVAAR. (Northern Virginia Association of Rocketry). On their website, they only have two qualification flights, November 23rd and December 7th. No further flight dates were listed.

 

[boatgeek]

No where we are at, Haymarket VA, we have only found qualification flights near us at NOVAAR. (Northern Virginia Association of Rocketry). On their website, they only have two qualification flights, November 23rd and December 7th. No further flight dates were listed.

Contact NOVAAR to be sure, but it looks like they just haven't set their 2025 schedule yet. They had at least one launch per month January-April 2024.

 

[WillMarchant]

Contact NOVAAR to be sure, but it looks like they just haven't set their 2025 schedule yet. They had at least one launch per month January-April 2024.

2025 schedule is in work. Next public launch is Nov 23.

 

[dhbarr]

One thing my S2P flyers have found helpful is to run their simulations with multiple qualified motors ( e.g. F42, F52, F67 ).
Then as their design evolves and they get information back about how it performs, they may elect to switch to a different motor based on real-world observations.

 

[cls]

No where we are at, Haymarket VA, we have only found qualification flights near us at NOVAAR. (Northern Virginia Association of Rocketry). On their website, they only have two qualification flights, November 23rd and December 7th. No further flight dates were listed.

Get to one of those launches, whether or not you have anything TARC to fly.

(In fact, everyone on your team should have some low power rocket they built, ready to go)

Introduce yourself and the team to the folks running the launch. I'm sure they're friendly and helpful.

It seems most clubs have several off cycle TARC-only launches, especially in February and March.

 

[jrains]

No where we are at, Haymarket VA, we have only found qualification flights near us at NOVAAR. (Northern Virginia Association of Rocketry). On their website, they only have two qualification flights, November 23rd and December 7th. No further flight dates were listed.

NOVAAR will publish 2025 dates by year end. There’s a process to arrive at launch dates including writing a substantial check. The best way to be in the know is join NOVAAR.

 

[kjhambrick]

@SharmaA26 --

I just now stumbled upon your thread ...

Lots of good advice here.

You might also want to use the Rocketry Forum Search Tab to maybe find other similar threads:


That simple search for keyword 'tarc' returned 10 pages of links for me and I am not privy to the restricted School and University forum.

I checked a few of the 'juicy' threads and found a few useful tidbits ...

HTH and good luck !

-- kjh