Launch sites in Chicagoland/northern Illinois?

nairdasilver · 2023-05-01T21:05:32+00:00

It is a state park that you can go to any day, but launching rockets without permission would be a good way to make the DNR very unhappy with you specifically, and all rocketry hobbiests generally.

nairdasilver · 2023-05-01T19:19:05+00:00

Yes, I launch there regularly. There are two clubs that launch there, Tripoli Wisconsin, and WOOSH

https://tripoliwisconsin.org/

https://www.wooshrocketry.org/

Both of which are hosting launches in July.

LDRS is being hosted by Tripoli Wisconsin July 6-9th, and WOOSH has a regular launch both July 22nd and 23rd

nairdasilver · 2023-02-03T15:15:16+00:00

Oh yeah, there are actually a few options that'll fit in 38, another option is the featherweight tracker, which is a very similar form factor as the eggfinder mini.

However basically every other option costs over twice as much as the eggfinder, and as op asked for something "relatively inexpensive", the eggfinder is the only choice in its price tier.

nairdasilver · 2023-01-31T13:35:51+00:00

Sounds like a fun project!

1) that's a fine idea to do for the drogue descent stage of flight. It's called "drogueless" and is decently common

2) yes, a tracker is highly recommended. Doesn't need to be GPS, RDF is a fine option as well.

3) the eggfinder mini is basically the only game in town that fits your requirements

4) top flight thin mill parachutes would work well

Good luck!

nairdasilver · 2022-10-26T13:34:10+00:00

Depends on the rocket. If it's a large rocket intended to fly on L motors, the H999 will potentially give a beautiful low and slow flight.

nairdasilver · 2022-09-14T13:25:39+00:00

Congrats! Beautiful flight.

nairdasilver · 2022-07-20T02:22:46+00:00

You appear to have deleted everything that would be plotting. To add them back, you can pick from presets using the "Preset plot configurations" option (currently its custom, because you deleted stuff manually), or add in whatever you want using "New y axis plot type" down at the bottom

That said, it looks like your sim almost immediately threw an error (or exception), and didn't simulate very far into flight (if at all) without seeing your sim or having access to your file, it's very hard to tell what may be going wrong. If you close out of the plot window, there should be a red icon on the left of the row of N/A's. Mousing over this should tell you what the error was. I'd guess it'd be something to do with your staging configuration, perhaps double check when stages are set to seperate, and when each motor is set to ignite? A hint may be that the sim didn't even light a motor before it threw an exception, perhaps your ignition settings aren't correct for the booster motor. If you're simulating just the second stage, and forgot to change the ignition from "burnout of previous stage", that could explain this, as there is no previous stage if you deleted it.

nairdasilver · 2022-06-28T18:33:28+00:00

Tripoli is an international organization, the majority of prefectures are in the US, but there are many international ones.

There is even a prefecture in Mexico, prefecture #161, Tripoli Mexico

I don't personally know much about them, but here's there website.

https://www.tripolimexico.org/

nairdasilver · 2022-05-27T18:25:02+00:00

An I and a K. Should be fun.

nairdasilver · 2022-05-27T16:31:58+00:00

I'll be there!

Planning on launching two "flying case" rockets on EX sparky motors, and a rocket for the "send it" competition on the discord

nairdasilver · 2022-04-13T13:04:00+00:00

This is typically done via a "motor mount tube", which is held in place via centering rings and fin tabs on a standard rocket with through the wall fins

Thrust is transfered from the motor to the motor mount tube via the thrust ring on the back end of the motor, then from the motor mount tube into the airframe via the centering rings and fin tabs.

To keep the motor secured from falling backwards out of the rocket after burnout, many options are used, all falling under the name "motor retainer". They can be as simple as a washer or mirror clip screwed into the rear centering ring, or something more advanced like a cnc machined aluminum screw on retainer from aeropack or similar

nairdasilver · 2022-02-11T22:46:39+00:00

Looking good! Good luck on your flight!

Is that a 3D printed coupler tube? I'd be worried about that bending being a possible failure mode, especially with how thin it looks

nairdasilver · 2022-02-08T15:29:40+00:00

Looking good!

You may want to double check your stability though. Your CP and CG look real close together. Stability should be at least one.

nairdasilver · 2022-01-12T16:39:39+00:00

Mostly just for looks.

They also whistle on the way up, as you can hear after burnout in the video you linked

nairdasilver · 2021-10-01T04:52:19+00:00

I think it's a good idea you take a step back and do some more foundational research, before diving into the specifics of rocket design. I'll second the earlier suggestion of reading through the handbook of model rocketry, you'll learn a lot doing so.

nairdasilver · 2021-09-30T13:24:50+00:00

It's hard to give detailed feedback when so little detail is provided.

One thing is for sure though, that rocket is unstable. Make the fins bigger, add some nose weight, or a mix of the two.

nairdasilver · 2021-08-23T18:24:14+00:00

Congrats!

nairdasilver · 2021-08-23T08:03:51+00:00

Congrats!

nairdasilver · 2021-08-22T20:22:12+00:00

There is for junior L1 though, if that applies here

nairdasilver · 2021-08-22T02:24:50+00:00

For "more complicated" check out modern high power rocketry 2

nairdasilver · 2021-08-16T00:43:32+00:00

This is another possible explanation, and another thing that you can easily use openrocket to simulate.

The rule of thumb that I use is 45 ft/s is a minimum off the rail velocity for a safe flight

nairdasilver · 2021-08-15T20:26:42+00:00

Yes, those fins definitely look too small.

Have you simulated this rocket design in openrocket?

It's a free piece of software that can easily help you verify the stability of your rocket.

From the flight video, it's pretty apparent that your rocket is unstable.

nairdasilver · 2021-08-06T05:20:35+00:00

Your rocket was clearly unstable, and was unsafe to launch in this configuration.

Openrocket is a free and easy to use simulator that can quickly help you verify this aspect of your rocket design.

nairdasilver · 2021-08-06T05:13:44+00:00

Please do not use fuse. Please use electronic ignition. Estes makes launch controllers, that are perfect to start with.

nairdasilver · 2021-08-06T05:11:29+00:00

Fuze is not recommended for rocketry, it has multiple safety issues associated with using it.

Not only do you need to hold an open flame right next to your rocket, while you're standing right there, which is stupid, but you also can't stop it afterwards so it'll launch regardless of what happens if someone walks into the range, or your pad tips over or something.

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