Our Planet on Rocketry Planet

Our Planet is a Social Networking site for rocket folks. I had always been hesitant about social networking, but this is cool. Almost 100 members so far. I have picked up a number of friends. It will be nice interacting with folks I see at out of town launches but don't know that well. If you are a rocketeer consider joining. Thanks to Darrell Mobley for making this happen!

The SEARS Rocketry Channel

I am intrigued with splashcast. Here is a channel for the SEARS club.

Add SEARS Rocketry Channel to your page

Greg's Next Big Project

I was very impressed with this ProLine X15 kit I saw in Extreme Rocketry. So I have ordered one from Hangar 11.



It is 6 inches diameter and 6 feet long!

Checkout the blog I have created for the project.

The Rocket Stage Presents

Here is a player for The Rocket Stage. Thanks to SplashCast.

Add The Rocket Stage to your page

Are Muppet Babies Into RockSim?

Well maybe!

More Mighty Mo M Flight Data

I took the perfectflite MAWD data for the AMW 1350, AMW 1480 and AMW 1850 flights and lined up the plots.



Note the 1850 flight the Main did not deploy due to a rubber band I left on the deployment bag. Fortunately the Main shroudline tangled with the nosecone shockcord. So the entire rocket came down on the 5 foot TAC-9 chute. Oh yes, I am very lucky there was no damage. The soft ground helped.

I also left a rubberband on the drogue on the 1350 flight. So it had no drogue. I am definitely leaving the rubberband out for future flights.



I think the extra thrust on the 1850 made for more drag and a lower altitude.

No doubt the 1480 flight was technically the best. However, for visual effect and the longer burn my favorite was the 1350.

Oregon Scientific ATC-2K Digital Camera Review

I wrote a review for the ATC-2K on EMRR. This ties in with my submission for the EMRR Rocket Video Contest. Entries will be judged by EMRR Guests during a voting week starting July 30, 2007.

The Mighty Mo at Samson

I launched the Mighty Mo at the July 7th SEARS Launch. Several of my work mates from Panama City came up for the launch.



The motor was the AMW M1850 Green Gorilla. I had a scarry recovery because the main chute did not come out of the deployment bag. The whole rocket came down on the nosecone chute. At least it was all under chute. It made a big thunk when it hit but there was no damage. I had some rubber bands one the deployment bag that may have retarded the main chute from coming out.




Lesson learned leave the rubber bands off the recovery system. I also had a rubber band around my drogue on the first Mighty Mo Launch which kept it from opening. I had the ATC-2K on the rocket and the impact broke it off the mount. The mount was plastic. Now I will need to come up with an improved mount. Of course I did get a video.

The Rocket Man has a book out!

Ky Michaelson the Rocket Man now has a book out, Rocket Man: My Rocket-Propelled Life and High-Octane Creations . I enjoyed his interview on the Space Show back in February. Of course, I have a Rocketman R7C Chute. I had a chance to chat with him when I made the order. He said he was working on a rocket that would go to mach 3. I really was beginning to wonder about him, but I guess that was the Civilian Space Exploration Team Rocket.

Fly-Cam-One Camera

Another interesting camera with possibilities for on-board rocket videos.

The ATC-2K Affair

The Oregon Scientific ATC-2K video action camera gets more than it bargained for in this action thriller. It takes place aboard the PML AMRAAM 4 rocket boosted by the mighty Aerotech J350 motor at white lightening speeds to 1900 feet. This is a Greg Lane production made on location at beautiful Samson, Alabama. Sponsored by the Southeast Alabama Rocketry Society.



This is my submission to the EMMR Rocket Video Contest.

Greg's Southern Thunder Photo Album

I uploaded some ST2007 pictures to my picasa web album. The last item in the album is a video. So you will need to double click to watch.

Southern Thunder 2007 videos

A number have appeared on Youtube. Kyle Cornelius does an excellent job matching Pink Floyd songs and the rockets!

One serious leaf blower

This is the test firing of NASA's new Methane rocket, which could be the key to deep space exploration, because methane is very prominent in space, and could be easily harvested, reducing launch costs.

Mighty Mo Launches: M1350 VS M1480

My L3 Cert flight with the Mighty Mo rocket was on an AMW 1350 White Wolf at The 2007 Florida Winter Nationals. My second M flight was on a AMW M1480 Red Rhino at the Southern Thunder 2007 launch. The MAWD altimeter data for both flights is below.
The altitude was about the same. There is less noise on the descent from apogee to the main with the M1480. I am thinking the difference was that the timer charge deployed ahead of the altimeters on the M1350 Cert flight. This meant that there was some upward velocity which initiated a tumbling of the payload and the booster end over end. On the M1480 flight I had the advantage of the M1350 flight actual data to set the timer. Another factor could have been that the drogue deployed on the M1480 flight. It did not deploy on the M1350 flight because I left a rubber band around the Kevlar protector I had around the drogue. So the M1480 was as perfect as I could ask for. I hope my next flight is as successful. I have an AMW M1850 Green Gorilla for a Samson flight. I just have not picked the month.

Southern Thunder 2007

I was indeed fortunate to attend Southern Thunder this year. The weather Saturday started out with low clouds in the early morning but turned mostly sunny with dry air in the PM. The winds were light and blowing in a favorable direction. Sunday, the winds were blowing across the short side of the field and resulted in a few rockets ending up in the woods. But did turn in a better direction later in the day.

A number of things made ST2007 a special launch. My Dad came along which made it a nice road trip.



My oldest Daughter and my Mother-In-Law also came up for most of Saturday. So they all saw the Mighty Mo launch. Likewise, John and Celeste Hansel, Kendall Brent, Chris Short and family, Jon Ward and family, Chris Crews and his Dad attended. All these folks are from the SEARS club.

The Mighty Mo flight was the first M of the day.



I really liked the huge matching yellow launch pad. The Mo went perfect on the AMW 1480 Red Rhino motor.



All the events fired and the rocket recovered nicely on the field. The bonus was the on-board video. I mounted the ATC2K camera on the booster section.



The camera stayed on the rocket! The on-board video below includes ground video made by Kyle Cornelius.



My second launch on Saturday was the Applewhite Stealth Beta on a K550.



It gets some double-takes.



It was surely the lowest K flight of the day.

Kendall was the Hybrid King of ST2007.



He flew an L, J, I and H flights on hybrids. John Hansel had several great flights including the awesome 12 inch V2.



Note John hosted the young Tiger Shiree and his Mom from Panama City. They witnessed the V2 flight and Tiger launched his Mustang.

My third and last flight was the Giant Leap Firestorm 54 on a J570.



This was my most ambitious altitude attempt. It yielded 7315 feet, my personal best.



I have always been uncomfotable losing sight of my rockets. Kendall loaned me a tracking transmitter and it did help us catch sight of it just before it touched down. I was shocked that the drogue charge fired but the rocket did not split. The main came out at 900 feet and there was no damage. Now that is pretty lucky!

My impression was that a whole bunch of AP got burned on both days. Everyone took advantage of the weather. The K drag race and the M2200 Skidmark drag races were spectacular. Thanks to the MC2 and HARA clubs for a super event!

ATC 2000 takes a free fall!

I did a launch of my AMRAAM 4 with an Oregon Scientific ATC 2000 Helment Cam on-board. After a nice flight we found the camera was no longer on the rocket. Almost everyone took a walk to find it. The gear was packed up and Chris, John, Bob and I had a late lunch at Crews BBQ. Then, we went back to search with no luck and I was ready to call it quits. At that point I came across the camera. Dirty, but no damage. In fact the video files were OK. I believe when the apogee charge went off and the shock cord was fully extended, the camera was flung off. This was at 1900 feet. I have uploaded the video to YouTube. Thanks to all who searched. Getting a video is a happy ending to the story.

See slideshow of stills here.

ATC 2000 Camera Test on AMRAAM

I installed the ATC 2000 as it comes except I used a pipe clamp instead of the supplied strap. Plan to fly this combo on a J350 at the June 2nd SEARS Launch. It has a 2GB SD card which gives one hour of 640 X 480 30 fps video.

Edmonds Deltie B

This Edmonds Deltie B was a pleasure to build. Rob Edmonds is a smart man to make a high performance boost glider so simple. I will fly it at the SEARS June 2nd launch. We are having a Deltie B duration contest.

Gizmo Build

I bought this Gizmo rocket From Wildman at the Winter Nationals. It is all fiberglass.


The good side.

Launch lugs are PML linear ones.

Slimline Retainer

Note I replaced the stock motor tube with a longer cardboard one because it was to short to add the Slimline on the bottom. Also I needed more length on the top for the 38/54 adapter that I already have.

The nosecone has a threaded rod with some washers and nuts on the end, anchored into epoxy at the tip. The threaded rod has a nut at the aft end to hold a bulkhead which has a u-bolt for the shockcord.

I have an idea to use Testors paints since The Gizmo is not that big. I'll make the nose chrome, the body Metal Flake Red and two fins Metal Flake Blue and one Metal Flake Green. You don't see that combo very often.

It weighs 4 lb 10 ounces with the adapter installed. Now I have started thinking about putting the strap on Helmet cam on this rocket.

Mighty Mo - The Movie

I just can't seem to stay away from the computer. Here is a new movie I made with my copy of Ulead Video Editor.

Southern Thunder Launch Plan

The Southern Thunder 2007 Launch will be June 9 & 10 2007 in Manchester, TN. Here is my launch plan:


Mighty Mo on an AMW M1480 Red Rhino expected altitude 4400 feet.


Applewhite Stealth Beta on a K550. This will likely be the lowest K flight.


Bob's Big Boy on an F21-4. The kids love it.


Tubular Crayon on an H242. I'll likely have the only Tubular Crayon.


Giant Leap Firestorm 54. Either a J350 or a J570. I usually chicken out on this one. The J350 will exceed a mile. The J570 will exceed 8K and approach mach.

My Dad will attend with me so he will get to see the Mighty Mo on an M motor.

Mighty Mo On-board Video

I would like to have an on-board video of a Mighty Mo launch. I believe I can strap this Oregon Scientific ATC 2000 camera around the airframe just above the fins. I have one on order.

The AstroVision is coming

As listed on ehobbies The $55 price is not too bad. The specs are better than the Oracle. I think on-board video rockets spark a lot of interest in rocketry. It from Estes and it is due out in August.



Get ready to take fantastic movies or photos from over 300 feet with the AstroVision Ready-to-Fly camera rocket. Select Movie Mode and take a 12 second digital movie while the rocket is in flight. Switch to Photo Mode and take a digital photo of your neighborhood. The AstroVision rocket and camera nose cone are factory assembled so you can be out launching and shooting movies or photos just minutes after setting up the launch pad. The AstroVision RTF Launch Set comes complete with camera rocket, launch system, camera software, USB cable and camera batteries (including a spare set). Requires one AAA alkaline battery (not included). Resolution: 640 x 480 Pixels (CIF). Minimum System Requirements: Microsoft WIN98/2000/NT/ME/XP, 125 MB Hard Disk Storage, 32 MB RAM, USB Interface, and CD-ROM Drive. Also requires Estes model rocket engines, Estes igniters and plugs, and Estes recovery wadding.

Steve Jurvetson has many excellent rocketry photos including this Q motor launch.

New kits from Quest

I discovered these on ehobbies today. They will be out this summer.




Flutter recovery.







Spin recovery. Like the Gyroc

YouTube and Rockets

The two go together nicely. I set up a YouTube Group called The Rocket Stage. It has collected a lot of Rocketry Videos. This is the most recent



Some of my SEARS Chat buddies and I have YouTube videos. You can play them below:

Greg

CHAD Staged Snitch Experiment

At the May 5th SEARS launch I decided to try different combinations of motors to CHAD stage an Estes Snitch. CHAD means Cheap and Dirty. To CHAD stage you put the open end of a booster motor directly against the nozzle end of another motor and tape the two together with transparent tape. When the booster motor comes to the end of its burn it will ignite the next motor. Note a booster motor has a delay of zero, like C6-0.

The first combination I tried was a C6-0 to a C6-3. The C6-3 is on top and it is the last motor to burn. To do this, I needed to leave the motor retainer off. So I friction fit the C6-3 into the motor tube by wrapping masking tape around the motor.





The next picture shows the C6-0 to C6-3 boosting. The C6-0 is burning.
















































The next picture shows the C6-3 burning after the C6-0 has dropped off. The benefit of the CHAD stage is a longer burn time and extra altitude.


















































I tried a C6-0 to C6-0 to C6-3 and unfortunately the Snitch turned horizontal for the second C6-0 and turned toward the ground on the C6-3. See video here. If Snitch turns horizontal or turns over you won't be any extra altitude. I then tried a D12-0 to C6-3. The Snitch turned over after the D12-0 and powered to the ground on the c6-3.

The bottom line is the C6-0 to C6-3 is a great combination giving the highest altitude and the others ended up turning before the boost was done. No Snitches were harmed in this experiment.

Very Funny!

Scratch Saturn Rocket

Very cute, See post from brainc on TRF