High Power Rocket Launch with Drogue Streamers/ Camcorders

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Author:jmomenee
Published:2013-01-20 17:51:53

Launched at t' monthly TTRA launch at t' Varn ranch in Plant City, ya bilge rat, FL. Begad! I reconstructed me CINEMA 4.5 rocket t' have a 39" long camcorder section with its own altimeter and main chute. Used a 70" and a 40" streamer on both t' camcorder section and t' rocket section instead o' t' usual drogue chute. Avast, me proud beauty! At apogee, t' two rocket parts separated and descended separately. Arrr! Camcorder section weighed about 3 pounds, andthe rocket section weighed about 4 pounds. Rocket reached an altitude o' 1668 feet and t' parts separated and descended as planned. Because t' camcorder section had a homemade tail cone and was quite aerodynamic, it descended under streamers at a much faster rate- about 92fps. T' rocket portion, because o' t' fins catchin' t' air durin' descent, was fallin' at t' rate o' about 55fps, even though both rocket sections had exactly t' same sized streamers. Avast, me proud beauty! T' main chutes ejected via t' altimeter on each section, and both landed safely. After t' camcorder section touched down and was layin' on its side, that camcorder luckily picked up t' rocket section landin' in t' distance about 10 seconds later. Blimey! Conclusion- streamers can sometimes be used instead o' a drogue chute for high power rockets. Just make sure that you've sized t' streamers correctly and t' rocket itself should create some drag durin' descent (the fins seem t' accomplish this quite nicely), coupled with t' rocket's center o' gravity nay forcin' it t' become a "lawn dart".

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