My out of control illness.

"Grindintosecond" (Grindintosecond) 01/13/2020 at 15:19 • Filed to: None

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Im building rockets almost bigger than cars! (Small cars...... This one should crest 9,000 feet using the big engine.) Once painted and rigged I’ll fly it probably in March or April. Onboard electronics....

Tha t makes 3 high power beauties on top of the Estes collection. I think a spare parts one will get built too...supersonic that one. That should hold me over for the year, but this is like bicycles...N+1.

Help?

Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom > Grindintosecond 01/13/2020 at 15:31

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How do you power it? What engine size comes after D? 

Deal Killer - Powered by Focus > Grindintosecond 01/13/2020 at 15:42

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Are you thinking what I’m thinking?

ROCKET CAR!!!

user314 > Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom 01/13/2020 at 15:58

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Model rocket motors go down to G, anything between H and S you need a certification or permit (or both) . Fun fact: an S scale motor is roughly equivalent to a WAC Corporal , the first US sounding rocket.

Letter codes don’t exist beyond S, but he Bloodhound SSC uses the equivalent of a V scale. The Saturn V would be an AG.  

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Grindintosecond 01/13/2020 at 16:06

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I really thought the rocket was attached to the Mini. I think you really would need help if that was the case.

jminer > Grindintosecond 01/13/2020 at 16:10

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Awesome!

I’ve gotten back into model rockets after a conversation with a co-worker last year and am desperately trying to contain the sickness. I’ve been sticking t o just basic Estes kits but really want to get into multi-stage and cluster rockets!

The complete DIY rockets are amazing and would love to get there some day but haven’t yet.

So are you using the electronics for flight control like attitude adjustment or just for logging?

Darkbrador > Grindintosecond 01/13/2020 at 16:12

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supersonic and 9,000 ft rocket ... p lanning on shooting down any airplanes ?!?

For Sweden > Grindintosecond 01/13/2020 at 16:15

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Now you just need a warhead

Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. > For Sweden 01/13/2020 at 16:23

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TheRealBicycleBuck > Grindintosecond 01/13/2020 at 16:36

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I took my son to a “serious” amateur rocket launch day. I thought he might be interested, but his reaction was less than expected, even when they were launching rockets taller than he was. I thought I might give it a shot. Then I found out how much the big engines cost. I decided to keep my fond memories of launching rockets when I was young and forego making any new ones.

Jim Spanfeller > Deal Killer - Powered by Focus 01/13/2020 at 16:39

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Ah, the rocket Lincoln! I can’t remember where I’ve seen that before...

wafflesnfalafel > Grindintosecond 01/13/2020 at 17:15

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that is super cool - we used to do the little stuff but those big, slower burning, motors in big birds are just so impressive

zipfuel > Deal Killer - Powered by Focus 01/13/2020 at 18:32

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One of my more hare-brained thought experiments is how to recreate the St Lawrence River jump at some scale from miniature (R/C car over a creek) up to 1:1

If you did away with the heavy human cargo and jet engine then you could build it out of foam and make it aerodynamic enough to sorta fly given enough electric thrust. You wouldn’t need such a huge launch ramp but definitely should include rockets and parachutes for drama.

Having seen the things flightclub have managed to put in the air it seems feasible, you could even cheat and slip some quadrocopter blades on.

Grindintosecond > Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom 01/13/2020 at 20:49

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Standard alphabet progression. Remember, A letter up equals two of the previous letters max impulse. So, two C’s equals a D. Two D’s = an E power...etc. 9,000 feet on this needs a K motor, which is a level 2 certification. I have an adapter to run a smaller casing so I can go from level.1 H to I power loads, into J for lvl.2 cert attempts.

Loads like those are $45 a piece, hardware for the casings ate about $100....its big boy toys. People save up for only a few launches a year with thir club.

Grindintosecond > jminer 01/13/2020 at 20:52

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The onboard electronics are primarily for dual deployment. Engine charge po ps the 18" drogue chute out, and at a set altitude the device ignites another charge pushing out the main chute....58"....

Also, some will add in GPS tracking devices to find the rocket if it drifts a mile away or so....lots of col things once can do. Staging rockets larger than estes requires onboard ignition through timers, g-switches, apogee sensors, etc.

f86sabre > Grindintosecond 01/13/2020 at 21:32

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Very nice on both counts!

I have a friend who I met through a NASA Social that participates in one of the big rocketry clubs in New Orleans. They are building things that would make a young Von Braun blush. Cool to see folks pushing the envelope. 

Grindintosecond > jminer 01/14/2020 at 00:53

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Just a heads up, theres plenty of single use and reloadable motors out there in 29mm size that’s perfect for larger scales but still under lvl.1 needs. Get a nice 3" patriot missile kit and have a blast off a 1/4" launch rod. F and G power.

Grindintosecond > TheRealBicycleBuck 01/14/2020 at 01:03

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Club lunches aren’t every week. Mine does one a month and not everyone can get to all of them, so 6 launches a year times a few motors isn’t too bad. But some big flights for guys are a once a year thing out at Black Rock desert or other special national events where that $1,500 motor is burned only once for that year. Yeah it’s money, but in the grand scheme, it might not be too much over 6 days of flying .

Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom > Grindintosecond 01/14/2020 at 09:10

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Thanks for the primer on engine sizing. I do have to disagree with one issue though.

Two Ds = a good time if you’re a boob guy.

Carry on. 

Grindintosecond > Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom 01/14/2020 at 09:14

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I almost wrote that. Same as an E....according to Estes, an F is a slow burner.......

Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom > Grindintosecond 01/14/2020 at 09:34

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On a more serious note, how do you get the blessing from the FAA to fly something that goes to 9k feet? 

Grindintosecond > Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom 01/14/2020 at 14:06

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The club sets up waivers with the managing ATC center of that area. Also, they will usually coordinate with the BLM/whoever manages land use of that area. As long as the land manager requirement for safety is met, and as long as the FAA/ATC centrer gives their altitude restriction, then the club is good to go and everyone brings out their big toys. We have two areas we use on open land, so BLM has safety requirements and FAA waiver is 12,000 feet. The other area has 23,000 but you can call in for a temporary release from that restriction if you are really sending a special project up there. So you call in to the contact number and tell htem how high you need and when and they let you know when is better and you have a time window to launch.

Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom > Grindintosecond 01/14/2020 at 14:32

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How far downrange does a rocket go after the chute deploys? What state are you in? I can see getting approval is much easier in a place like OK versus CT.