Way more than L3

[stantonjtroy]

I had the chance to do some way cool work on the new Kratos rocket. It's a target rocket for testing a missle defence system. It's based on the old Aries sonding rocket though highly modified. It has to handle Mach 10 (hense the mods). I was tasked with applying the black ablative material to the fins and tail can. GOD I LOVE MY JOB!!! :roll:

 

[mjennings]

nice, that's way cool.

Mind if I ask who you're working for?

 

[sylvie369]

You put the ablative material on before the fin fillets?

 

[stantonjtroy]

You put the ablative material on before the fin fillets?

Yea, the ablative is a silicone based paint. Gets ten coats. Fins are worked up individually as are the can halves.

 

[bobkrech]

The Aires is quite a kit bash. A 4FNC with a X impulse motor!
(~13,000,000 N-s total impulse motor).

According to this photo series https://www.wsmr-history.org/Aries.htm your little old Aries is only a Minuteman I second stage fitted with four fins and a nose cone.

Engine Model: M56A-1. Designer: Aerojet. Gross Mass: 5,170 kg (11,390 lb). Empty Mass: 466 kg (1,027 lb). Propellants: Solid. Thrust(vac): 228.500 kN (51,369 lbf). Thrust(sl): 207.700 kN (46,693 lbf). Isp: 297 sec. Isp (sea level): 270 sec. Burn time: 60 sec. Diameter: 1.13 m (3.70 ft). Length: 3.96 m (12.99 ft). Chambers: 1. Country: USA. Status: Out of Production. https://astronautix.com/engines/m56.htm

Bob

 

[stantonjtroy]

Here's the latest. It's basically a modified Talos/Ares. Here's the most recent pic.

 

[avets8]

are you sure you're allowed to be telling us all this??? :confused2:

 

[stantonjtroy]

are you sure you're allowed to be telling us all this??? :confused2:

Yea, I was sure to clear it in detail with the company security chief. All images I have were cleared for the company quarterly news letter. He said that being the case it was ok, even for an open forum. Additionally the materials we used are commercially available, applied as per manufacturers specs. Sorry, no technicial drawings allowed.

 

[Graham Orr]

LOL, this will probably sound like a 1-up but for the next 4 months I'm helping out with the design of a "Z" engine

 

[stantonjtroy]

LOL, this will probably sound like a 1-up but for the next 4 months I'm helping out with the design of a "Z" engine

NO WAY!!! Too awsome!:roll:

 

[stantonjtroy]

nice, that's way cool.

Mind if I ask who you're working for?

Cobham Sensor Systems Baltimore. Just a curious question; I see you're from Phili. What club do you fly with? My wife's from there and we go up frequently. I'd be cool to have a place to launch there.

 

[Graham Orr]

NO WAY!!! Too awsome!:roll:

I guess liquids are cheating? (will be a Z or up to AA depending how you slice it)