The launch event at the MTA on November 12th was a success. The STEAM students from the Rise Academy in Compton launched four RRS standard 1-inch alpha designs. All were successful and seemed to fly straight.

Rise Academy, Compton, CA – via Facebook

Larry built the larger 2-inch RRS beta with a simple wooden egg as a nose come mounted to the welded bulkhead.

The fifth alpha was a design Osvaldo and I put together with the smoke grenade in the payload section as a tracer. The fifth alpha also had a key fob camera module mounted to the midpoint of one of the fins and a ceramic coated nozzle which was very successful. The camera was recovered intact and the ceramic nozzle seemed to work perfectly with no erosion seen in the throat.

Dave Crisalli was our pyro-op and gave a great safety briefing before we got started. Osvaldo and Dave demonstrated the combustion of the micrograin and composite propellants common to amateur solid rockets.

The important part was the preparations necessary include checking the range before committing to launch. We had almost still winds all afternoon and high clouds overhead with temperatures being nearly ideal, but we always look and listen before we commit to launch.

Launch was exciting and went smoothly. Everyone did as they should, by counting down then listening for the flight time and the soft “thump” of impact.

After the launch, the Rise Academy students were a big help in finding their rockets. After listening after each launch for the direction of the thump sound, we had a starting point and direction to start walking. With all the help we had, all five of the alphas were spotted including Osvaldo’s and mine! However, Larry’s beta hasn’t been found yet due to its larger size likely going further downrange. Three of the alphas were extracted from the earth thanks to the hard work and shovels. A great job as most rockets aren’t found so quickly.

Many thanks to all that came out to the MTA. Thanks to John Mariano for leading this event. We hope to see everyone come back for another launch day in the Mojave with the RRS.

On June 4th at the MTA, Osvaldo and I launched an RRS Alpha with two features:

(1) refurbished alpha nozzle bored out to accept a graphite throat insert to demonstrate better performance in maintaining throat diameter and what could be better re-usability.

 

(2) smoke charge in the payload section to aid in better visualization of the flight trajectory
lasix online

The empty alpha vehicle weighed in at 3.65 lbm, the loaded alpha vehicle weight was 6.55 lbm for a typical propellant load of 2.90 lbm.  I took some photos of the whole assembly and loading process just for illustration.  The process is very typical for the RRS alpha’s we fly.

The video linked below is of the countdown and launch.  Don’t blink.

RRSalpha-launch-160604
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Results were inconclusive until we can locate and recover (dig up) the rocket.  After some initial searching in the heat of the afternoon, I had to give up the hunt for the day.  I hope to get back out to the MTA and locate it and get pictures of the fired nozzle with the graphite throat.  Also, we can usually reuse the coupler and… with luck… the nozzle.

As for the smoke charge, the smoke dispersed nicely just before launch, but given the bright sun in the blue sky above, a trail wasn’t evident.  At least, I didn’t see it?  Larry said the smoke trail was visible all the way up to apogee where the smoke stopped.

If the throat maintained its shape, the performance (apogee and downrange distance) might have been quite good.  I think my initial search area was too close.  I’ll refine the flight calculations and see where might be a better place to renew the search.

Thanks to Dave Crisalli who was our pyro-op for the June 4th launch.
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I’ll update this post with the “after” photos when the rocket is found.

We held another successful launch event at the MTA on June 4, 2016.  Many thanks to Dave Crisalli being our pyro-op for the event.  11 alpha’s were launched.  10 by the students of Hermosa Junior High and one by Osvaldo and I.  A good time was had by all despite the serious heat of that day.   I’ll post a few photos later.

The regular monthly meeting of the RRS is to take place this Friday, June 10, 2016, at Gardena.  Hope to see everyone there.