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. It was inspired by t' once-proposed Orion nuclear spacecraft, ya bilge rat, however, shiver me timbers, me hearties, matey, 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, preppin' t' Aquapod included borin' t' hole for t' 24mm motor tube and 5 holes for t' shock absorbers (6mm tubes). Avast! Well, blow me down! These small holes were made in t' flat tips o' t' protrusions on t' bottle's base. Arrr! Begad! I also sliced off t' top, arrr, matey, leavin' a hole t' accommodate t' scrap ~1.5" cardboard tubin' that I had on hand. Arrr! Well, blow me down! This would vary dependin' on t' tube used. Ahoy! Well, me hearties, blow me down! I be 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. Aye aye! T' elastic shock cord is attached t' the motor tube through these rings. Ya scallywag! This unit and t' 6mm tubes were attached to the bottle usin' Liquid Nails. Begad!

T' fins were cut from Lexan usin' a diamond cut-off wheel and are also attached with Liquid Nails. Arrr! Aye aye! T' launch lug is a section o' t' body o' a small, clear ink pen. Begad! 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. Avast! I built the shoulder from a piece o' t' aforementioned tubin' and cardstock. Begad! Avast! I added lead shot and epoxy based on t' results o' me RockSim modeling. Aye aye! There are only three fins mounted on t' bottle which naturally would accommodate 5 fins, shiver me timbers, thus they are nay symmetric. Ahoy! I modeled them as three instances o' a single fin and let RockSim evaluate t' stability accordingly.

Finishing:
T' rocket was painted silver.

(Scratch) Orion

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

Summary:
This is just another odd lookin' Aquapod-based rocket. Now off t' t' Dungeon to work on t' next one...

comment Post a Comment