What did you do rocket wise today?

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I have 3 simple builds on the bench right now- Estes Cherokee E, kitbashed Estes ESAM, kitbashed Estes Vapor. These are similar but not identical, I still have to pay attention so I'm not putting the wrong motor mount in the wrong tube. Yesterday and today I was doing fin fillets. I had to mark the tubes with tape so I could keep track of which one had one layer of glue on the fillets vs. 2 layers of glue on the fillets. Put the launch lugs on and I'll be ready to start priming and sanding. The Cherokee E will probably get its stock paint job, I haven't decided what to do for the other 2 yet.
 
I've got 8 of those GD balsa nosecones to fill with wood filler, guaranteed to be the very last time I build anything with balsa 🤬 🤬 🤬
 
I was given a bunch of parts and half-built rockets at Airfest. I got a bunch of 2.6" heavy-wall tubes. Too short to do anything else, so I started building my first tube fin rocket.
 
Opened my 3" Magnum and epoxied a nut to the center of a centering ring for motor retention.

I received my order from Launch Lab Rocketry.was very happy my order came so fast and happy with the fact that everything was perfect.
 
Completed machining of the mounting plate to hold the stepper motor for the antenna tracker pan mechanism.
MotorPlate.jpg
That's 6mm aluminium plate holding 5kg of NEMA 42 stepper motor goodness.

Have also started hanging stuff on the rotating boom. Pics later in the week.
 
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marked the 8 fins for the 2 short/fat boy/diablo finned rockets (Poco Diablo=little devil) out on the 1/8 plywood gotten in 3x7 pieces at Walmart. each 3x7 inch piece makes 2 fins very nicely.
 
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I made not one but two separate orders of rocket stuff, one from eRockets and one from BMS, in preparation for a launch next weekend (fingers crossed) and my next couple of years of building. This is the first new rocket stuff I've purchased in.... I dunno, probably a couple of years. In the process, I have doubled the size of my kit build pile to..... four. :) Build threads will be coming.
 
Rainy day. Kid is sick so we didn't go to the muddy MTB race (and there were enough coaches to cover for my absence as well). So, I cleaned an older toolbox I had forgotten about (and found while cleaning the shop). Perfect as the top tray can hold my motor cases, grease, delay drills, etc and the bottom for all the reloads. Now the large rolling range box can get some stuff put back in it that's a better fit for that.

I also discovered I had bought a G138 reload (and must have immediately forgot about), so I did a happy dance as well.
 
Weighed some spent D12 motors (0.64 oz), a spent C motor (0.35 oz) and layed out the fin and centering templates onto the papered basswood for my P-40.

I had hoped to cut the fins and rings today, but the barn is on lockdown until I get the radiator back from the repair shop for our '69 Camaro.
 
It rained most of the day here. I started measuring and marking locations for PEM nuts on my Darkstar 3, but got sidetracked with other projects.

I did drill some pilot holes for the rail buttons on it. I received a TRS kit for this build earlier this week too. I need to move along to finish the build because we are in a good stretch of weather to be painting.
 
Launch Report, 09/10/22, MDRA Central Sod Farm

LOC Deployer, G77-7R - Mostly Successful - This was a return-to-flight for this rocket after having its fins repaired following a hard landing. This rocket is equipped with dual-deploy but can use motor ejection as a backup. However, on the pad, the motor chuffed while the delay merrily burned, resulting in the motor ejection charge going off and deploying the drogue streamer before the rocket reached apogee. Altitude achieved was only 634 feet, but the rocket was recovered intact and the altimeter functioned properly, so I can't complain too much.

Vander-Burn Mega Der Pontifex Maximus (Mega Der Red Max), G70-8 Loki Cocktail - Partially Successful, Damaged - Same issue as above with the delay burning first before the propellant started. I think I forgot to back the igniter off half an inch from the top as Loki recommends. Early high-speed deployment caused a few inches of zipper. Repairs necessary, probably a fiberglass ply or two around the entire top.

Dyna-Star Flamethrower, 2X E12-6 - CATO - Probably the worst CATO I've ever had. The bottom section of the rocket was blown out while the good motor kept spinning it around in circles and deformed the booster section body tube significantly. The one bright spot is that I may be able to recover all the parts except the body tube itself and rebuild the lower section. The fins are intact and I could probably cut them out. The motor mount will need a closer look to see if it ought to be replaced, or if it can be reused.

Mega Alpha, H135-8W - Success - I was feeling kind of down at this point but decided to press on, and was rewarded with a good flight to about 2500 feet with my 4" Alpha upscale, followed by a good ejection, and good chute release with no issues. Finally, a success with no caveats.

Lazarus, I195J - Success - Feeling much better after finally getting a completely successful flight, I put up the Lazarus on one of the slow jack motors I scrambled to buy from BMS after hearing they were discontinued. A modest flight to a little over 1000 feet followed by a good dual deployment and slightly hard landing on the dirt and gravel driveway. Thankfully no issues were found after landing except for the motor retainer getting a little scuffed.

Estes Antar, C6-5 - Success - I was feeling a bit tired at this point and wasn't sure I was going to fly another rocket, but at my daughter's insistence I prepped and flew my Antar for the final flight of the day, and was glad I did. When it was arcing over after hitting apogee, its wing planform was facing right toward the ground and it looked like it was flying overhead horizontally for a second or so. It was super cool and I wish I could have caught a picture. The impressive ascent was followed by a good parachute deployment and landing.

20220911_110035.jpg
 
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Launch report from Sod Blaster a week and change ago:
Arrived Friday after flying had closed for the day.
Saturday started with three students flying Jr. L1. All three made it, though two had to repeat due to damage during flight. Flights were:
H133BS (success)
H120RL then H152BS
H87IM then H163WT

I managed to get Spruce Goose off the pad on an H123SK. That flight was ... fine, but the delay was way too long. This was a known bug, but I need to go back and re-check my sim. Something's not right there, likely the all-up weight. No damage to the rocket, but the chute needs a bit of repair.

We closed out Saturday flying the students' high power project, Frankenfin on an L875DM. It's a Minnie Magg kitbash with a payload bay, a 3" motor mount, and an extra set of fins (6 total). After a long wait for the motor to come up to pressure, it did light off with a beautiful up part. The fin can separated on the way down, leading to its destruction and the destruction (and loss of the SD card) of the video camera. Everything else came down just fine a little far away in a (harvested) potato field.

I was up bright and early for a ground test and then flying Dimetrodon on a K445CL. A really nice flight, though the primary main charge only got the nose cone off. The backup pushed the chute out for a majestic landing. I will probably need to figure out a deployment system that works a little better for that rocket. I think that the long upper body tube encourages the chute to jam. No damage in the end except that the lid came off of the Schurter switch. I'll replace that with a screw switch before my next flight.

Next up was Arc Light (2.6" FG Madcow Arcas) on an H410VM to 1136', followed by Stage-o-saurus on a G126WT to G54RLB to 4114'. Both were good flights and entirely nominal.

That was about when we ran out of steam and ability to take the heat, so we piled into the car for the ride home. All told, 6056 N-s burned on 5 flights (under my name) and only one rocket took major damage. A great weekend!

[edit] I should add that this weekend had a near-complete Eggtimer lineup: Finder Mini and LCD, Quark, Apogee, Quantum, Classic, and Proton. All worked exactly as expected.
 
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Launch report from Sod Blaster a week and change ago:
Arrived Friday after flying had closed for the day.
Saturday started with three students flying Jr. L1. All three made it, though two had to repeat due to damage during flight. Flights were:
H133BS (success)
H120RL then H152BS
H87IM then H163WT

I managed to get Spruce Goose off the pad on an H123SK. That flight was ... fine, but the delay was way too long. This was a known bug, but I need to go back and re-check my sim. Something's not right there, likely the all-up weight. No damage to the rocket, but the chute needs a bit of repair.

We closed out Saturday flying the students' high power project, Frankenfin on an L875DM. It's a Minnie Magg kitbash with a payload bay, a 3" motor mount, and an extra set of fins (6 total). After a long wait for the motor to come up to pressure, it did light off with a beautiful up part. The fin can separated on the way down, leading to its destruction and the destruction (and loss of the SD card) of the video camera. Everything else came down just fine a little far away in a (harvested) potato field.

I was up bright and early for a ground test and then flying Dimetrodon on a K445CL. A really nice flight, though the primary main charge only got the nose cone off. The backup pushed the chute out for a majestic landing. I will probably need to figure out a deployment system that works a little better for that rocket. I think that the long upper body tube encourages the chute to jam. No damage in the end except that the lid came off of the Schurter switch. I'll replace that with a screw switch before my next flight.

Next up was Arc Light (2.6" FG Madcow Arcas) on an H410VM to 1136', followed by Stage-o-saurus on a G126WT to G54RLB to 4114'. Both were good flights and entirely nominal.

That was about when we ran out of steam and ability to take the heat, so we piled into the car for the ride home. All told, 6056 N-s burned on 5 flights (under my name) and only one rocket took major damage. A great weekend!

[edit] I should add that this weekend had a near-complete Eggtimer lineup: Finder Mini and LCD, Quark, Apogee, Quantum, Classic, and Proton. All worked exactly as expected.
I think your Arc Light was on the same rack on Sunday as my 4” ARCAS… nice flight!
 
Over the past few days I have been trying to drive the Automatic Antenna Tracker to completion. Although much effort was expended I failed to complete it. I still basically have the wiring on the turret and cable chain management to go to complete the hardware. I was hoping to have it to show at our club social night tomorrow night but I will have to take the incomplete unit instead.

Finishing up the base unit. Some side panels were made and fitted, including provision for 240V mains entry and an industrial-style power switch. Spare fuses were tucked in under a trim strip, just in case they are needed. I like how the plug inlet and switch are inset for protection.
AATBase.jpg
I still have a top and bottom cover to make to complete the boxing of the base. The base is actually quite hefty, with the stepper motor alone weighing in at 5kg.

I really need to make a warning sign for near the power switch. Motion can start almost immediately the unit is turned on. Shouldn't be much of a problem if it is mounted on the car roofrack.

A 24V 150W power supply was mounted internally. Mains wiring was done and neatly cable-tied. The TIC32v4 stepper controller was mounted to the 3D-printed mount, and that was cable-tied to the side of the motor.
AATBaseInside.jpg
Before you ask, yes, I do have 240V available in the field. I have a 1500W inverter that connects to the second battery system in the Jeep.

In other news, I wired a 4-pin M8 industrial socket to the data receiver so it can feed location strings to the AAT Processor.

I was hoping to try all this (including the Vertical Trajectory System) in anger this year, but our last launch is likely October 3rd. An executive decision has just been made to just prep and fly the rocket without using the AAT and the Vertical Trajectory System. There is not time in the next two weeks for me to complete all that preparation work. I will just have a nice L motor flight to finish off the year. I must see if I have a nice Redline motor...
 
Working on my tube fin rocket. I can see why I've never built one. All those filets! They're all done and I've started on the ejection baffle. It's built in a coupler. Baffles are heavy black fiber attached to an 1/8" plywood "spine". The shock cord attachment has extra layers for renforcement. Maybe one more day before paint.
 
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