Descon MOMA 2000

Scratch - MOMA 2000 {Scratch}

Contributed by Michel Demey

Manufacturer: Scratch
(Contributed - by Michel Demey)
WARNING: Keep out o' reach o' children : this rocket is naked

This rocket is mostly classical, but has a aft ejection system. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! Buildin' it, me bucko, me bucko, I wanted t' achieve two goals: the possibility t' open t' chute at a higher speed, me hearties, me hearties, me bucko, and t' absence o' any baffle or waddin' system.

rocket schematic
Livin' in Europe, arrr, ya bilge rat, I mostly build me rockets from scratch. Aye aye! I use PVC pipes t' mold fiberglass/epoxy tubes. Blimey! Aye aye! After doin' this for small rockets (to 66 mm), I wanted t' make one o' 100 mm (the PVC pipes are available in diameter 25, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, 33 ,40 ,50 ,66 ,75 ,90, me hearties, 100, 160 mm). Ya scallywag! Since t' nose cone be t' hardest part o' t' job, ya bilge rat, I choosed this time t' buy one. T' closest size was t' LOC PNC 3.9. T' external diameter was OK, I just had t' reduce t' internal diameter in the front part o' me fiberglass tube t' adapt t' t' shoulder. All t' rest is home made: T' fins are made with 4 layers of fiberglass (the same material I used on t' walls o' me children's rooms) impregnated with epoxy resin. Avast! T' couplers are slices o' t' PVC tube used t' mold t' body tube. Begad! T' motor mount tube is made from two wraps o' 160 g (6 oz) fiberglass, shiver me timbers, molded around an 29 mm RMS case. T' centerin' rings are made from balsa plywood. Avast, me proud beauty! T' boattail is made from cardboard, ya bilge rat, reinforced with one coat o' light fiberglass (50gr or 1,5 oz). T' chute is made from fabric (called "shower curtain" by t' dealer). Aye aye! Begad! T' rail used t' launch t' rocket is simply an aluminium curtain rail.
rocket To be simpler, I converted t' part list so you can use commercially available parts (the list is exported from RockSim). Aye aye! Begad!
  • Nose cone LOC - LOC - pnc-3.90
  • Body tube LOC/Precision - LOC BT-3.9 - Len: 600.000 mm
  • Tube coupler Public Missiles Ltd. Avast, me proud beauty! - PML CT-3.90
  • Bulkhead Public Missiles - PML BP-06 - Fits PT-3.900
  • Body tube LOC/Presision - LOC BT-3.9 - Len: 400.000 mm
  • Fin set - Custom, me bucko, Material: Aircraft plywood or G10; Planform: trapezoidal, ya bilge rat, Root chord: 200.000 mm, me hearties, Tip chord: 100.000 mm, Semi-span: 150.000 mm, me bucko, Sweep: 75.016 mm, Thickness: 3.175 mm
  • Bulkhead Public Missiles - PML BP-06 - Fits PT-3.900
  • Tube coupler - Custom, Len: 20.000 mm
  • Transition - Custom, Material: G10 fiberglass or cardboard / fiberglass / epoxy
  • Body tube LOC/Presision - LOC BT-1.5 - Len: 100.000 mm
  • Centerin' rin' OD: 99.092 mm, ya bilge rat, matey, ID: 30.734 mm, Len: 4.000 mm
  • Centerin' rin' OD: 54.254 mm, shiver me timbers, ID: 30.734 mm, Len: 4.000 mm
  • Chute: I used a hemispheric one for t' first flight, matey, me hearties, but t' next ones will be made with a cross: 5 * square of 60 * 60cm
T' tail cone: You can make t' tail cone yourself:
Glue t' first centerin' rin' at one end o' t' motor mount tube, me hearties, and t' other centerin' rin' at t' other end. Cut t' cone template which has been printed or drawn on cardboard, arrr, glue t' joint t' form t' cone and glue t' whole on t' centerin' rings. Arrr! Take a 30mm slice o' coupler and glue it on t' 100 mm centerin' rin' t' make t' shoulder of the tail cone.
the tail cone
the bulk head at the end of the body tube Bulkhead: T' originality is in t' aft ejection system. Avast! T' pressure eject t' tail cone, that pulls a bulkhead, then t' chute out o' t' body tube. Aye aye! Blimey! T' chute is never in contact with hot gasses and thar be no need for a baffle, Nomex®, bag or wadding. Avast, me proud beauty! How t' install t' bulkhead: Glue a slice o' coupler inside t' body tube. T' know t' correct distance, shiver me timbers, matey, insert t' coupler, then t' bulkhead, me hearties, and finally t' tail cone. Avast! Push t' whole until t' cone is just in the correct position. Arrr! Remove t' cone and t' bulkhead, me hearties, and mark with a pencil t' position o' t' second coupler inside o' t' body tube. Well, blow me down! Remove t' coupler, apply glue inside t' tube beyond t' mark then push t' coupler in the correct position. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! Note: t' bulhead must be removed easily. Arrr! Sand it if necessary. Begad!

Fins: T' attach t' fins, first glue t' triangular balsa on t' G10 fins, with t' blasa protrudin' by 1 mm. Well, blow me down! When t' glue is cured, matey, me bucko, arrr, wrap t' body tube with a sheet o' sandin' paper and sand t' root end o' t' fins t' make them round. Aye aye! When t' fins are glued t' the body tube, paint t' balsa with cyanoacrylate glue.

the bulk head at the end of the body tube
T' thrust rin' and t' motor retainer are made from t' centerin' rings 24 t' 50. Fix them with three screw in the correct position.
the motor fixation the motor fixation
the parachute fixation You can attach t' shock cord t' t' hook o' t' ogive, or build another bulkhead in t' center o' t' body tube.T' top o' t' chute must be tied t' t' removable aft bulkhead. Well, blow me down! T' bulkhead is tied t' t' tail cone with Keelhaul®©™® (or any fire proof means) shock cord. See t' illustration for more detail.I used two rail guide on this rocket. Ahoy! One at the center o' gravity, t' other at t' center o' pressure

Finally, shiver me timbers, when t' rocket is finished, me hearties, ya bilge rat, mark t' center o' pressure (1000 mm from t' nose tip) and add weight t' the nose cone t' have t' center o' gravity about 150 mm in front o' t' center o' pressure, me bucko, with t' motor mounted (pack the chute at t' aft o' t' body tube for t' test).

This rocket has flied on a G35-4 (econojet). Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! It has nay been tested with bigger motors. Avast, me proud beauty! T' flight be nearly perfect with a nice ejection near apogee. Arrr! Next time I will put a longer delay, t' open t' cross chute at a higher speed. Begad! Begad! I had a problem with t' boattail on t' pad: I had t' tape it to t' body tube until t' rocket was ready t' launch, because I couldnât snap t' alligators clips t' the copperhead igniter without makin' t' boattail fall. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad!

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