High Power Rocket Launch with Drogue Streamers/ Camcorders

Video 1 of 167
PreviousBackNext
Author:jmomenee
Published:2013-01-20 17:51:53

Launched at t' monthly TTRA launch at t' Varn ranch in Plant City, FL. Well, blow me down! 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. Ahoy! At apogee, shiver me timbers, t' two rocket parts separated and descended separately. Avast, me proud beauty! 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. Aye aye! Because t' camcorder section had a homemade tail cone and be quite aerodynamic, arrr, it descended under streamers at a much faster rate- about 92fps. T' rocket portion, because o' t' fins catchin' t' air durin' descent, matey, was fallin' at t' rate o' about 55fps, ya bilge rat, even though both rocket sections had exactly t' same sized streamers. T' main chutes ejected via t' altimeter on each section, ya bilge rat, 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. 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".

What You Can Do

- Post a Comment -