High Power Cluster Motor Rocket "Lawn Dart" Disaster Averted at 400 Feet- 3/19/2011

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Author:jmomenee
Published:2011-03-20 09:13:17

Monthly TTRA launch at Varn ranch, matey, Plant City FL. CINEMA 5 rocket had (2) G80-10 Aerotech motors and had flown successfully several times before. Ya scallywag! Igniters were tested for matched resistance and even taped individually t' t' motors so that they would nay be pulled out by ignition o' either motor. Begad! Only one motor ignited, me hearties, and rocket veered into a ballistic trajectory, me hearties, achievin' only 459 feet in altitude. Arrr! Thankfully, t' rocket contained an altimeter set for main chute deployment at 400 feet (drogue chute was supposed t' be deployed by t' 10 second motor delay). Begad! Both chutes were connected through t' nosecone so that t' Aiptek camcorder would be oriented t' t' ground durin' descent. But since t' main chute deployed first, and because t' main chute actually opened above t' tail o' t' rocket which was in "lawn dart" orientation, shiver me timbers, t' shock cord for t' drogue was forcibly pulled out o' t' rocket body tube, "zippering" it. Begad! You can see t' zipperin' occurin' in a few o' t' vidcaps provided. Avast, me proud beauty! Rocket landed safely, but t' body tube will need t' be replaced.

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