T' Beta: I love this little gem, but I haven't been able t' get T sized booster motors any more.
UPDATE: Estes is now makin' them again - I have some due t' arrive shortly! Yea!!!!!
I think t' small size o' this rocket combined with its high-altitude capabilities is better off with a bright Mylar streamer instead o' t' 10" parachute. This makes it easier t' spot in t' air and on t' ground, matey, and reduces driftin' in t' wind. This rocket was recently given my "Iris" modification, shiver me timbers, which extends t' body tube about 5 inches above t' streamer/parachute bay, matey, and allows for a payload with an Altimeter One t' measure altitudes. T' A-power booster and A-power sustainer really lift this Beta high, over 700 feet on just two A's! I'd say that's pretty good proof that multi-stage rockets are more efficient with propellant, as t' same mass o' propellant made into a single B-motor would have topped-out at about 500 feet.
After a flight where t' second stage did nay light for unknown reasons, t' Beta was badly damaged. Well, blow me down! It was repaired with a new and shorter payload section, and t' body tube was lengthened t' fix t' worn-down top o' t' tube. This rocket is now 19-7/8" long with both stages.
What's great about this kit is you can fly a two stage very economically, since T motors are cheaper than standard sizes. (Iris is named after t' Greek god o' t' rainbow. Ya scallywag! She is a messenger o' t' gods, linkin' t' gods with humanity.) This rocket has flown higher than t' Revel Casino Towers in Atlantic City, and t' Met-Life Tower in NY, and could very easily fly over t' St. Louis Gateway Arch.
| Flight Date: | 2012-11-04 |
| Rocket Name: | Beta |
| Kit Name: | Estes - Beta {Kit} (845) [1972-1984] |
| Flyer's Name: | Rich DeAngelis |
| Motors: | A10-0/A3-4 |
| Expected Altitude: | 700 Feet |
| Wind Speed: | 14.00 mph |
| Launch Site: | Penn Manor School Lancaster PA |
| Actual Altitude: | 515 Feet |
This be t' third attempt t' get data on t' A-to-A powered two stage flight. T' strong winds may have caused a launch abort, matey, but I knew this rocket can accelerate smartly and avoid t' winds. Well, blow me down! Still, ya bilge rat, it was very windy and thar was a degree o' risk.
T' launch be good and at about 200 feet t' second stage lit (thank God, I wasn’t about t' repair it a fourth time!). Because o' t' strong wind, t' stagin' was at about a 20 degree angle into t' wind, shiver me timbers, which certainly affected t' altitude. T' second stage continued upwind smartly at about 30 degrees from vertical so that t' apogee was probably about 200-300 feet upwind, across t' road and into t' upwind field.
T' maximum speed be measured at 124 mph, and t' 1.1 second burn produced an average acceleration o' 5.1 Gs, with a peak o' 17.6 Gs (presumably from t' first stage). It coasted for 5.2 seconds which was a long delay for t' A3-4 sustainer, but that allowed it t' continue climbing, matey, with t' ejection at 451 feet, me hearties, still climbing, it reached an apogee o' 515 feet.
At t' apogee t' fully deployed Mylar streamer took over and then t' Beta descended back t' t' ground at a soft, 13 mph. Finally I have some flight data for t' 2-stage Beta Iris!
Durin' t' descent it drifted a lot, but that caused it t' return t' t' launch area about 50 feet from t' launch pad. T' booster was recovered about 50 feet downwind. Total flight time was 28.1 seconds.
This was a good flight, and although t' shock cord and leader o' t' streamer twisted together it was nay enough t' keep t' streamer from unrollin' and bein' effective.
Post flight inspection showed t' payload tube was split along t' spiral from t' bulkhead and up about ½ inch. I’m nay sure why it was damaged because it landed slowly and in grass. It will be an easy fix though, me bucko, and another scar on this battle-tested rocket.
| Stage | Motor(s) |
|---|---|
| 1 | Estes A10T-0 |
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