What did you do rocket wise today?

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Trudging through the list of parameters in Ardupilot to see what I have got to play with for the vertical trajectory system. There are SO MANY of them. The upside is it is quite a capable piece of software. Still trying to figure out how to add contact closure inputs it can action. I have got a method I think will work but it is a bit clunky. Gain scheduling for the control loops will have to be done by altering the firmware. If I am doing that then contact closure inputs become trivial and tidy :).
 
Not surprisingly, I worked on some more painting today: I touched up the stripes on my DS Mini fins. I still need to give a final coat of white to the body and then the decals and clear.

On my Darkstar Jr, I sprayed a coat of clear on the nosecone. I also sprayed the booster white before running out of paint.
 
Don't mean to sound like a dummy (as I am a relatively new BAR), but what do you mean by a "rocket spike"?
A stand on which you place your rocket.

Imagine an oversized thumbtack sitting point up. You slide the rocket motor tube over the upright portion.

I used to cut a square base, drill a hole part way through the base, and glue an appropriate size dowel in the hole.

With the widespread availability of laser cutters, it’s now easier to just order them online.

Here’s what the Vander-Burn rocket spikes look like...

D94357CE-33FF-47AB-8985-721C4928BE9A.jpeg


Vander-Burn.com is the link.
 
After finishing "Handbook of Model Rocketry," I ordered and today received my next rocket read. Before next season, I'm hoping to digest this and the Canepa book and only then start building something HPR. I probably have a lot to learn. Thankfully, my brain is hungry. Nom nom nom.

1603332076752.png
 
Finished sanding the MRDM down to naked. Cut all 6 of the carbon skins. Filled the crack from the move with aeropoxy and a bit of milled glass for a base repair.

hopefully tomorrow I can get the skins on the fins and give vacuum bagging a first shot 24329A1E-7DB0-4B11-B026-F39FF65DAC1C.jpegCAF12498-F61D-42B8-A0A8-08D1266D4A3A.jpegDD09A793-2C82-4A78-BF94-F546BE6D15CE.jpeg
 
Appears to be nice balsa for the Explorer fins. Medium dark color and weight. Estes kits generally have ok balsa or better

20201022_102105.jpg
It is a little warped. I will sand and put a coat of CWF on both sides, stick it in a wax paper sandwich, and dry it under a pile of books. That should flatten it out.
20201022_102427.jpg.

I am doing misc. prep work and the Sprite and and Explorer (I keep thinking Trident) such as body tube and balsa fill. After that I plan to start on the Sprite in earnest, followed by the Explorer.
 
I got 4x 2S 450mAh LiPo batteries today. Opened the box and saw that they used clear shrink wrap to bundle them into pairs. I think to myself "well, that was stupid. Now I have to cut them apart." Go get a pair of scissors and very carefully cut the shrink wrap, throw the shrink wrap in the trash and pick the batteries up to put on my bench. Picked up one and I swear it was hot in one corner. Instantly I think "Oh Crap!" and throw it onto the tile floor and rush to get the fire extinguisher (we all have one in the kitchen, right?) and stand there for a few minutes waiting to see the smoke and flame burst out. Heart beating out of my chest.....and 5 minutes later I reach down to touch it.....nothing. Cold and no swelling. I move it to my metal container for charging and there it'll sit for a day while I go take a shower and get clean undies on.
 
Picked up one and I swear it was hot in one corner.........move it to my metal container for charging and there it'll sit for a day while I go take a shower and get clean undies on.

Live by the LiPo, die by the LiPo
( I've got nothing to say, I use em too!)

 
Live by the LiPo, die by the LiPo
( I've got nothing to say, I use em too!)


Electronics work on magic smoke. Once you let the magic smoke out, they no longer work. Power is based on angry pixies. One should never release the angry pixies because they bite. LiPo has more angry pixies than most other batteries but the angry pixies in the wall bite too.
 
Lots done today.

Noticed another spot on my MRDM that needed fixed, so fixed that. Didn’t get the carbon skins on it today because I was busy prepping rockets for saturday launch.

Started prepping rockets for sat launch. During avionics preflight one of my quantum’s wouldn’t fire the main. Found broken lead. Fixed lead. Charged all sled batteries and gps batteries. Fired up featherweight gps trackers and installed in nose cones.

Prepped 3” Iris for maiden flight...I357 built and installed.
Prepped 2.6” AIM120C...I211 built and installed.
prepped 2” Lil nuke ...G75 built and installed.

snagged A flight sketch mini since they came back in stock...thx nyrunner for heads up.

impatiently waiting for my mach1 starlight To get here!DB2E56AA-8D8F-4EA7-B782-5615BBFEEB14.jpegAFF729C4-41AE-4605-A348-9A55B004458F.jpegB03772EC-3917-464C-95FE-3A4329906DE0.jpeg2C4AC8D8-B55B-4856-9A02-936AD821AF8D.jpeg
 

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