Stac Launch 12/23/00

STAC Event 12/23/00: Rocket Launch

It was 11 degrees but clear and low wind so even though Glen and I talked ourselves out of launching, I found myself at Battle Creek with just two rockets and my pad anyway. Prepped the rockets in the car and just took the rocket and pad to the top of the hill and fired em off. Immediately filled my boots with snow and was pretty cold. Rockets flew very nicely.

Then I went to the hangar and couldn't prevent myself from trying my big water rocket again. Last month I had three beautiful parachute deployments with it but this time I was 0 for 2.

Flight Results:

Owner Rocket Engine Notes Results

Jeff Hove Estes Avenger - upper stage
Estes A8-3 6' x 1.5" nylon streamer
rod angled 10 deg NW ~100', messy deployment that straigned out and drifted almost back to pad.

Jeff Estes Avenger - two stage Estes C6-0 (old) to C6-7 (old) angle 10degrees NW Excellent! Booster climbed for a long time to 300' and ignited 2nd stage nicely. Booster landed about 30' from pad. Sustainer continued to at least 2000' and quite a ways down-range. Long delay but good deployment. Drifted back only barely within the range. Long walk through deep snow. Both parts recovered undamaged (then both damaged later in the car). Greatly overestimated the upper winds. Could have launched vertical (and should probably always launch multi-stagers vertically).

Jeff Estes Screamer Estes 1/4A-3T plastic tape streamer, kevlar shock cord Straight climb to 250'. Nice ejection. streamer only partially unfurled. Landed 60' from pad. Kevlar thread shock cord burned through just above attachment point but didn't break until landing!

Jeff Water Rocket: flourescent bulb cover 1/2 liter water + 80psi air (but only partially filled due to frozen valve) Flip-cap parachute deployment of 14" nylon chute 60', nice flight but no deployment. Lawn-darted into hangar tax-way. Shattered nose cone and kinked body but replaced cone for next flight.

Jeff Water Rocket: flourescent bulb cover 1/2 liter water + 80psi air 14" nylon chute 100', nice but no deployment. Lawn-darted into snowbank, undamaged. Launcher froze-up preventing additional flights.

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Owner	Rocket	Engine	Notes	Results
Jeff Hove	Estes Avenger - upper stage	Estes A8-3	6' x 1.5" nylon streamer rod angled 10 deg NW	~100', messy deployment that straigned out and drifted almost back to pad.
Jeff	Estes Avenger - two stage	Estes C6-0 (old) to C6-7 (old)	angle 10degrees NW	Excellent! Booster climbed for a long time to 300' and ignited 2nd stage nicely. Booster landed about 30' from pad. Sustainer continued to at least 2000' and quite a ways down-range. Long delay but good deployment. Drifted back only barely within the range. Long walk through deep snow. Both parts recovered undamaged (then both damaged later in the car). Greatly overestimated the upper winds. Could have launched vertical (and should probably always launch multi-stagers vertically).
Jeff	Estes Screamer	Estes 1/4A-3T	plastic tape streamer, kevlar shock cord	Straight climb to 250'. Nice ejection. streamer only partially unfurled. Landed 60' from pad. Kevlar thread shock cord burned through just above attachment point but didn't break until landing!
Jeff	Water Rocket: flourescent bulb cover	1/2 liter water + 80psi air (but only partially filled due to frozen valve)	Flip-cap parachute deployment of 14" nylon chute	60', nice flight but no deployment. Lawn-darted into hangar tax-way. Shattered nose cone and kinked body but replaced cone for next flight.
Jeff	Water Rocket: flourescent bulb cover	1/2 liter water + 80psi air	14" nylon chute	100', nice but no deployment. Lawn-darted into snowbank, undamaged. Launcher froze-up preventing additional flights.