ISSS Rocket Projects
From SEDSWiki
Rocketry projects to-do list for the Iowa State Space Society, started by Allen Ball, previous rocketry chair.
Contents |
L1 rocket (previously the Harpoon)
I would like to use this rocket as a dual deploy testbed for the gas rocket. It should not be too hard to complete. I have done a little rocksim on it, I think if we use at least 30 inches of the extra body tube we should be fine.
- Use extra 36" body tube in office
- Section off area for Altimeter
- Cut tubes (if necessary) for dual deployment
- make altimeter holder(or drill holes in the tube)
- Install bulkheads
- determine set up of ejection canisters
- fix motor retention system
- paint (maybe)
Gasoline powered rocket
In this spring of 2003, ISSS put a liquid fueled engine in the budget for the F03-S04 term. The engine selected was the Systeme Solaire SS67B-3 liquid fueled rocket kit. The kit was shipped on November 20th, 2003, for $998 (plus $20 shipping), and included a manual last revised in 1999.
Information from the company's website, last updated June 2003:
- SS67B-3 Engine Specifications:
- Thrust: 260 Newtons (57.2 lbs)
- Burn : 8.5 seconds
- Total Impulse: 2210Ns
- Chamber temperature: 450 C (842 F)
- Chamber pressure: 200 psi
- Nozzle area ratio(exit/throat):2.62:1
- Exit gas velocity: Mach 2.4
- Fuel: Super unleaded gasoline
- Oxidizer: 50% Hydrogen Peroxide
- Estimated altitude: >5000 ft.
- Dry weight: 4.60 kg (10.12 lbs) (including nose cone, parachute, fins)
- Loaded weight: 7.1 kg (15.62 lbs)
It is, according to the manual, the "safest liquid fuel rocket ever designed". However, this safety comes at the cost of an expensive, low performance, bodge of an engine. It's entirely functional, but completely inelegant and sub-optimal in almost every way. In addition to that, the cost of 50% hydrogen peroxide (the engine's oxidiser) has gone up drastically in recent years, from under $15 per liter to over $60. By the time of the first launch, we will have around $1200 total invested in the rocket hardware, plus about $150 for chemicals for each launch.
2210 N·s makes the SS67B-3 a K engine. However, the low thrust makes launch a risky proposition, as a long rail is necessary for it to get up to a speed where it will fly stable. The manual suggests a 8-10 foot launch rod, but one user says that "...given a standard build, I would not launch the rocket on less than a 12 foot launch rail in calm weather, because of the safety aspects." We have engine casings in our budget for next year, so that the engine can be launched with three solid rockets strapped on the sides, to get it off the ground more quickly.
We are currently planning to launch the rocket for the first time on Friday, March 31st 2006 at a high power launch near Peoria, Illinois. This is a list of things that ned to be accomplished. Struck stuff has been completed.
Flyware
- finish sanding both sections of body tube to smooth finish
- Sand nose cone (its fairly rough right now)
determine where the electronics bay will godetermine ejection charge setupSection upper body tube for electronics and dual deploymentMake holder for altimeterInstall bulkheads- motor retention system
- Paint Rocket
- assemble firing system
- attach servo to valve
Fireware
- 50% hydrogen peroxide sources:
- buy graduated cylinders and a funnel.
- compatibility of polypropylene with gasoline or hydrogen peroxide
- make ignitors
- prime with bp, rig electric ignition
- test
- leak test tubing, wet test nozzles
- re-pacify h2o2 chamber?
- beg for catalyst, buy otherwise.
- assemble catalyst block
- check altimeter
- have someone bring laptop.
- install and test software before launch day.
- have someone bring laptop.
test fire ejection charge- test fire ejection charge using computer and in tube.
Level 3 competition
The rocket competition did not go exactly as planned last year. We weren't comfortable with exposing our rocket to supersonic speeds due to a slight bend in the dart section, so we spent most of the spring semester rebuilding and modifying it. The UMR team's rocket was finished on our planned launch date, so they launched back in October. The flight was mostly successful, but they lost a part of their dart section when the shock cord snapped. Luckily, they found the part with the electronics and the entire booster, so not too much was lost. We haven't launched our rocket yet, but it is now finished and ready. Here are the new specs:
The shiny, cardinal and gold rocket stands more than 10 feet tall when it's fully constructed. The nose cone is solid aluminum and the tubes for the 38 mm dart were made from constant-wrap pre-preg fiberglass. The 4.5" booster section was also made from fiberglass. The fins for our dart are the same as in our origional design (they follow the tail cone down and are always the same diameter as the dart itsef) to make it possible to put the entire bottom of the dart into the transition section.
We re-inforced the fins on the booster section (the only section we re-used from the first try), and did a lot more sanding and applied copious amounts of bondo to get it to a smooth finish.
We also decided to change the motor. Origionally, the agreement was to use and Aerotech M-1939, but since the clubs were not launching at the same time, ISSS decided to go with the more powerful AMW N-2020. In the proper configuration, this rocket will go to over 32,000 feet and reach speeds greater than mach 1.5.
We've done a lot of testing on the new rocket, and we've even taken it out to Colorado to compete in AIAA's region V conference.
We plan to launch it at Midwest Power in October in Peoria, IL (if we can get a high enough waiver!!)
