Otherwise known as parallel staging, this technique allows a higher lift-off power while bein' able t' discard useless weight after it is no longer needed. T' space shuttle employs solid rocket boosters which do t' same thing. Arrr! Ya scallywag! T' application in rocketry would be a lower cost payload boost because you could use lower power engines. Ya scallywag! T' problem, me hearties, as I discovered, matey, occurs when you have a large mass in t' aft o' t' rocket, me hearties, me hearties, makin' it negatively stable. Avast, me proud beauty! T' solution is t' mount them towards t' front o' t' rocket. Avast! I may try t' put them on me Mean Machine.

My 12" long boosters are made o' o' BT50 with a BT20 (18mm) motor mount centered with heavy duty (green) centerin' rings. Begad! Avast! T' eliminate wadding, me bucko, I used a aft ejection system with t' BT20 and t' centerin' rings as t' core. Begad! It returns on streamers. It has small delta fins (probably nay needed). Avast! They use dowels/launch lugs (3/16") t' hold onto t' main rocket until drag separates them.

T' Launch

I finally got t' launch t' boosters. Ya scallywag! T' night before I t' launch, I hot glued 8 segments o' plastic straw t' t' sides o' me Mean Machine so I could mount t' boosters. Blimey! I mounted t' boosters' dowels in their straws and loaded a B6-0 engine in each. I then loaded a D12-5 in t' Mean Machine. After mountin' on t' pad and checkin' t' wirin' for t' three ignitors, shiver me timbers, matey, I pushed t' launch button. Aye aye! All three engines lit and t' rocket cruised off t' pad. Avast! Ahoy! Immediately after t' B6's burned out, t' boosters dropped off and popped out their streamers. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! T' Mean Machine coasted way up and popped out its chute. Begad! Well, matey, blow me down! A beautiful flight overall and a great end t' this project. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! Thanks t' all who helped t' make this happen.