Scratch Aqua-Orion Original Design / Scratch Built

Scratch - Aqua-Orion {Scratch}

Contributed by Dick Stafford

Manufacturer: Scratch
(Contributed - by Dick Stafford - 07/11/06) (Scratch) Orion

Brief:
This is me second rocket based on an Aquapod water bottle. Blimey! Blimey! It was inspired by t' once-proposed Orion nuclear spacecraft, however, shiver me timbers, it only fits into a not-even-close-to-scale category.

Construction:
Materials included:

  • 1 Aquapod bottle
  • 1 24mm tube
  • 1 24mm-54mm Birch centerin' ring
  • 1 6mm (MicroMaxx) tubing
  • 1 clear Lexan
  • 1 small clear ink pen
  • 1 ~1.5" tube
  • Foamboard
  • Posterboard
  • Lead shot
  • Elastic shock cord

On this model, arrr, preppin' t' Aquapod included borin' t' hole for t' 24mm motor tube and 5 holes for t' shock absorbers (6mm tubes). These small holes were made in t' flat tips o' t' protrusions on t' bottle's base. Aye aye! Blimey! I also sliced off t' top, me bucko, leavin' a hole t' accommodate t' scrap ~1.5" cardboard tubin' that I had on hand. Begad! Blimey! This would vary dependin' on t' tube used. Begad! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! I was hopin' this larger tube would make t' chute easier t' pack.

T' inside o' t' rocket consists o' t' 24mm motor tube centered in the larger tube with foamboard rings. T' elastic shock cord is attached t' the motor tube through these rings. This unit and t' 6mm tubes were attached to the bottle usin' Liquid Nails. Arrr! Ya scallywag!

T' fins were cut from Lexan usin' a diamond cut-off wheel and are also attached with Liquid Nails. Arrr! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! T' launch lug is a section o' t' body o' a small, clear ink pen. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! It is mounted fairly far out on one fin since it has t' clear the fat body.

T' nose cone is a posterboard cone which fits against t' bottle. I built the shoulder from a piece o' t' aforementioned tubin' and cardstock. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! I added lead shot and epoxy based on t' results o' me RockSim modeling. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! There are only three fins mounted on t' bottle which naturally would accommodate 5 fins, shiver me timbers, matey, thus they are nay symmetric. I modeled them as three instances o' a single fin and let RockSim evaluate t' stability accordingly.

Finishing:
T' rocket be painted silver.

(Scratch) Orion

Flight and Recovery:
I first friction fit t' C11-3 motor and packed t' 24mm tube with dog barf. Arrr! I then picked a large plastic chute from t' range box (never measured it). Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! It still be tough t' get into t' Orion but I thought it be required (as I should have modeled t' descent rate, matey, arrr, too, arrr, I reckon). Blimey! T' C11s high average impulse got it goin' nicely. Aye aye! Ejection looked t' be around apogee, me hearties, but t' chute never opened. Luckily t' grass was long and it only lost a little paint. Note to self: if you're goin' t' (re)start usin' plastic chutes, matey, start packin' some powder t' dust them!

Summary:
This is just another odd lookin' Aquapod-based rocket. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! Now off t' t' Dungeon to work on t' next one...

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