I had some spare cash a few months back, which enabled me to fulfill a goal I have had since a kid - build an experimental setup to measure the thrust curve of rocket motors. I have wanted to do this ... [Read More]
Bill Cooke built his own engine test stand. Check out the great article on his blog - Rocketeer's Corner, CLICK HERE He got some pretty interesting results on his first tests using A8-3 engines. [Read More]
There are very few three stage rocket kits nowadays (the Estes Comanche 3 being the best well known), and those that do exist use the 24 mm Estes C11 or D12 motors in the first stage booster. This ... [Read More]
A high power type Aerospike motor - basically an inverted bell where the flame is built around a graphite spike. Very nice! I bet hobby motors could use this technology. This is the big kind - ... [Read More]
This is just one of the many cool images from a book titled Nasa: Visions Of Space. A book that combines two of my favorite things; Art and Rocketry. Painted by Maria Epes as part of the Nasa Arts ... [Read More]
This is a great project. The hybrid motor uses a solid fuel and a gaseous or liquid oxidizer. Here the fuel is a clear acrylic tube that lets you see inside the chamber. Note how bright it is: the ... [Read More]
I went to print the decals for the 'Da Shizzle and found my print cartridge is out of yellow. The meter says it should be near full. Cleaning/testing didn't help. Oh well, just have to replace it. I ... [Read More]
The Make:blog is hosting an article about the effects that the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) will have on small toy manufacturers. In response to the scare about lead in toys made ... [Read More]
I'm all excited, because this next semester I'm going to be taking aerospace engineering via S econdary T echnical E ducation P rogram. I don't know much yet; all I know is that its major outcomes ... [Read More]
The Tripoli Motor Testing (TMT) Committee of the Tripoli Rocketry Association has certified a new AeroTech high-power Mojave Green? propellant RMS? reload, the L1390G-P. The L1390G-P fits AeroTech, ... [Read More]
Scott Hansen has posted an email he received from Estes Industries' Barry Tunick . In this email, Barry addresses issues that he didn't think were adequately addressed in his previous responses to ... [Read More]
After testing the winds with a 'tiny' Nike Smoke on a J350, Steve Eves' Saturn was launched into the beautiful Maryland skies at around 1PM local. The central 'P' and eight 'N' motors (that's 'R' ... [Read More]
Clark Lindsey found this video from Ben Brockert and Masten Space :
A test fire on the 750lbf engine on the XA-0.1B-750 in hold-down testing. Here the engine is putting out about 800 pounds of ... [Read More]
This is, above all others, the sister rocket to my personal favorite; Project Farside. But in NOTS EV-1 launches, the complex but rather small rocket (again very similar) is lofted to modest altitude ... [Read More]
I just ran across this stuff and will present it in the order I discovered it vs. in any logical sequence. First, I saw a brief report about a project called FGG-3/Darque Sol on the Tripoli ... [Read More]
AeroTech Information Release 5/28/09 AeroTech Creates Karl E. Baumann Signature Product Line AeroTech is pleased to announce that it has created the Karl E. Baumann (KEB™) Signature L ... [Read More]
A huge set of new motors is on the way down the pipeline at the very moment. Most of them come from Cesaroni , but Aerotech also just announced three end burner motors (one with an extra grain of ... [Read More]
Here's a video showing a Quest F12 being prepped for flight. This was a private launch hosted by MDRA member, formally known as FooseFest. One of the attendees employee in the sport rocketry ... [Read More]
Rocketry Planet has learned that, due "increasingly limited supply" of surplus ammonium perchlorate (AP) and the "serious decline" in the quality of surplus AP, AeroTech has announced they will be ... [Read More]
Forty Eight years ago (May 25, 1961) U.S. president John Kennedy announced the goal of landing Americans on the Moon by the end of the decade. Kennedy's ambitious speech triggered a nearly ... [Read More]
The second stage, S-II, would need about a million pounds of thrust and, if also powered by five engines, would call for the development of new 200,000-pound hydrogen-oxygen engines. When bids for ... [Read More]
SEOUL — South Korea has rescheduled its first space rocket launch from its soil to August 11 after repeatedly postponing it due to technical reasons, officials said Saturday. The Ministry of ... [Read More]
This simple test rocket, in a way the biggest hobby launch ever, will be an early test of a man-rated rocket. Why is this a great rocket in my mind? Because it uses an inexpensive and fairly ... [Read More]
I missed most of this YORF thread . The attached photo is what Quest came up with in 8 hours to start testing. :drooling: There's also an inference that sandman, who did the parts for wolsotr's 19" ... [Read More]
Perhaps the best way to land very large objects on Mars with any kind of efficiency. Now why are there not tons of cool projects like this going on at all times? Why is it that we only try a ... [Read More]
By Shelby G. Spires Times Aerospace Writer The American space program has no set goals, faces changing priorities and has axed multi-billion dollar projects every few years. A few examples: NASA ... [Read More]
GPS tracking powered by InstaMapper.com I was researching GPS tracking when I found this inexpensive GPS tracking device. The software was free. I have been carrying it around with me testing out ... [Read More]
I finished the bulkhead. I varied from the drawing a bit by adding a pressure port so that I can measure the chamber pressure during testing. I need to order some o-rings and then I'll be able to ... [Read More]
AeroTech now has a page on Facebook! Follow the very latest AeroTech news, information, product developments and testing at http://www.facebook.com/pages/AeroTech-Consumer-Aerospace/159005948954 [Read More]
I've been talking with Magnus from AIR recently about this motor and he has convinced me to use erythitol based propellant. I first heard about erythitol on Scott Fintel's site and the biggest ... [Read More]
The Tripoli Motor Testing (TMT) committee of the Tripoli Rocketry Association (TRA) has tested and approved a number of new AeroTech products. 38mm RMS Reload Adapter System The previously-announced ... [Read More]
When I started my professional career, I was given a desk in a bullpen and a ton of manuals to read. There were no PCs or web. We had drafting tools, parts catalogs, and a plethora of ... [Read More]
Live They experienced problems and the contest window closed. They will try again between 4PM and 5PM EST. I'm unclear if this is an official contest window or if they are just testing. The webcast ... [Read More]
The National Association of Rocketry (NAR) Standards & Testing (S&T) Committee has certified AeroTech?s new E20W model rocket motor. The motor features an all-new molded phenolic casing with ... [Read More]
Space.com discusses the apparent staging problem with Ares I-X. They cite comments from Mission Manager Bob Ess. He said to CNET, "So far, we're on a path to learn a lot. The separation seemed ... [Read More]
Well November went by and I didn't get much done on the new motor. I did do a little testing with Erythritol based propellant. My first attempt was a little surprising given the fact that others have ... [Read More]
"Top secret Iran hostage rescue mission aircraft YMC-130H were three modified Lockheed Hercules Aircraft for Top Secret "Operation Credible Sport", for second Iran hostage crisis rescue attempt. One ... [Read More]
Hmm where do I post about nuclear weapons? This is as good a spot as any. Most of the tests in this video are smaller, tactical (or primary) scale explosives. The power of even these small blasts, ... [Read More]
"The Mission begins with the rockets pointing to the sky in a near vertical position. The payload is shrouded beneath a nose cone to protect it during the ascent through the atmosphere. If suitable ... [Read More]
Just to tease those who haven't seen their copy yet, I decided to tell ya' what's in this issue even before I've read any of the articles. But I did look at the pictures, starting with rocket girl ... [Read More]
ROCKET SCIENCE New Materials Designed To Deal With Hypersonic And Supersonic Hot Stuff Hypersonic vehicle in the upper atmosphere travelling at Mach 8, indicating heating in the leading edges and ... [Read More]
"The largest underground nuclear test conducted by the United States, Project Cannikin was one of three underground nuclear tests performed at different places on this 43-mile long island in the ... [Read More]
I have been wondering why the USAF created the X-37B? Why has the USAF and NASA gone in separate directions when it comes to accessing space. Basically it boils down to the mission and the money. The ... [Read More]
AeroTech Consumer Aerospace has redesigned its five single-grain 54mm soda can motor reload kits to use less expensive components and has significantly reduced prices on the entire range of reloads ... [Read More]
A few days ago, Rocketry Planet published a great article regarding the coming meeting of National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)'s Technical Committee on Pyrotechnics in Salt Lake City, ... [Read More]
The Tripoli Motor Testing (TMT) Committee of the Tripoli Rocketry Association (TRA) has certified two new AeroTech 54mm and one new 75mm Reloadable Motor System? (RMS?) K-class rocket motor reload ... [Read More]
A reader (thanks George!) pointed me to Armadillos latest status report . This is big one, covering over 6 months of activity from the first Class III waiver issued by FAA AST, through the ... [Read More]
Update: I should clarify that there is one more level of approval and the changes won't go into effect until the release of the updated document in 2011. Earlier today, I heard that the NFPA ... [Read More]
Trip's words, my highlights and added comments in brackets (stuff I didn't mention before or didn't catch earlier): Earlier today (February 2) we completed the first of two 2010 meetings of the ... [Read More]
Invader status: Slight warpapge, previously undetected, was problematic. Nothing that sandpaper, CyA, a accelerator couldn't handle. Glide testing/trimming may have to wait for dry ground ... [Read More]
There?s some pretty exciting stuff going on at Edwards Air Force Base as the flight test center team gets ready to conduct an awe-inspiring X-51 first flight. The plan is to air launch the X-51A ... [Read More]
George Katz updates us on his experiments with fiberglass-reinforced PET bottles . It will be cool to see what his big and complex water rockets can do when pressurized to 300 psi. He recently ... [Read More]
ikaros light sail
high-power low-energy-consumption rocket (sounds very cool!)
100 meter telescope
convert phantom 4000 to aerotech (where did you get this Phantom 4000?!?)
sounding ... [Read More]
This is an update from the N prize blog. With about 500 days left, this looks like a good time to quickly describe the plans of some notable participating teams. In some cases, information is not ... [Read More]
Odd'l Rockets , operated by Hans "Chris" Michielssen, is dedicated to unique, if not odd, rockets and rocket-related accessories. He recently asked if I'd be interested in testing out his ... [Read More]
Finnally a motor that runs on moonshine! We are very pleased to announce two new certified motors from RATTworks, Dave Griffiths, head gas passer. The following motors are the first in a new ... [Read More]
As seen on Rocketry Planet , it appears that Tripoli Motor Testing (TMT) has certified two RATTworks Tribrids: a 1861K350TR-P (45% K) and a 2170K600TR-P (70% K motor). For those who don't know ... [Read More]
Not much going on today in the Interwebs. I was kinda down about not being at LDRS, which starts tomorrow (or today if this post is slow). Should be interesting. I've heard about ... [Read More]
Change of plans. Once I started looking into what actually had to be done to prep the camera rocket for this weekends launch, I realized that there was actually more to do than I had anticipated. ... [Read More]
"Thermoteknix MIRICLE TB2-30 Thermal Camera footage on board Ballistic Missile Defense during BMD testing. Ends abruptly with Missile Intercept." Experience this video in a more trippy format if you ... [Read More]
This is with a hat tip to R2K . First I'll set the stage. Start the first video, wait for the organ riff to start, and then scroll down and watch the second. Guaranteed to blow your mind!
... [Read More]
I came across this project quite by accident, showing that there are indeed many areas on the internet that remain to be explored. Even after browsing for rocketry web pages since the late 90s! "The ... [Read More]
Yesterday I pretty much finished all the details that were left to finish on Stinger, so he was officially ready to fly. But I knew that I had to test the ejection charges, considering I had never ... [Read More]
Tomorrow is my one shot at certification until next year. I hope to use Stinger for my L1 cert on a Cesaroni I285. If I pass L1, I'm hoping to try L2 on a J285. If everything goes correctly, I ... [Read More]
So I've now overcome the sadness of Der Red Mix and embarked on DRM mark II: Last night I think I thoroughly mastered both the Parrot2 and Raven altimeters via manuals, testing, and marking of the ... [Read More]
Full-Scale NASA and ATK Solid Rocket Motor Test Set for Aug. 31 WASHINGTON -- NASA and Alliant Techsystems Inc. (ATK) will conduct a full-scale test of a five-segment, first-stage solid rocket ... [Read More]
I decided to check into some student clubs and organizations, just to see what opportunities there are to get involved. One thing led to another, and I find myself on Pr ISU m, Iowa State's Solar ... [Read More]
The science library grows ever larger: Under The Cloud: The Decades of Nuclear Testing "In the 1950s and 1960s, over 100 aboveground atomic bombs were exploded in the Nevada desert. Miller gives us ... [Read More]
BY JOSHUA FREED Associated Press MINNEAPOLIS — Boeing and a space tourism company announced a deal on Wednesday to sell tickets on rocket rides to the International Space Station. Now Boeing just ... [Read More]
The following is a playboy article By Laurence Gonzilles. There are plenty of reasons to wonder if this information is factual, but it does contain a discussion of some relevant ballistics ... [Read More]
Naive launch: this was our very first launch. Most of our rockets were the inside of tinfoil tubes with cardboard fins and rolled paper nose cones. Most of our engines were C11-7s and C6s. Most of ... [Read More]
http://interorbital.com/TubeSat_1.htm "Planet Earth has entered the age of the Personal Satellite with the introduction of Interorbital's TubeSat Personal Satellite (PS) Kit. The new IOS TubeSat PS ... [Read More]
At NASA's Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A, technicians are completing repairs on space shuttle Discovery's ground umbilical carrier plate (GUCP). On Nov. 17, the hydrogen vent line was ... [Read More]
Clark Lindsey updates us on the status of the X-34 and speculates about the X-37B . NASA Dryden has released a press release confirming that the two X-34's have been moved to Mojave, where Orbital ... [Read More]
As y'all know, I like tail-sitting VTOL aircraft and in particular the Convair XFY-1 Pogo (see my flying version here ). Scott Lowther just posted about NASA LaRC's rocket-powered aerodynamic ... [Read More]
Here is my yearly recap of what I think was most significant in and around the Dungeon. As originally mentioned, I jumped the gun on posting the list. It's now 100% complete! In no ... [Read More]
Art's standard saucers fly great, but sometimes you just want to try something different. Details are hidden below the page break. Convert a 38mm, 12" saucer to a 3x 24mm cluster. Brief: When he was ... [Read More]
The Deuce XL5 was my Descon-13 entry and, for the record, the following were the attributes as they applied to the contest:
no Micro-Maxx, x2 cluster, sci-fi, comedy(?), most parts from a ... [Read More]
The Snipe, which flies on a cluster of three 24mm motors, is a typical MPR kit. I received the Snipe in 2002 as a prize in EMRR's Fantasy Rocket Photo Contest. The manufacturer, THOY, has been ... [Read More]
Art's Double Helix is new twist on the monocopter (pun intended)--it has two wings and flies on two motors. In fact, it's more or less two Helix Monocopters stuck end to end. Technically, it's not a ... [Read More]
"The team developing the landing system for NASA's Mars Science Laboratory tested the deployment of an early parachute design in mid-October 2007 inside the world's largest wind tunnel, at NASA Ames ... [Read More]
BepiColombo's Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MMO) in the Large Space Simulator at ESTEC, The Netherlands. The octagonal spacecraft is Japan?s contribution to BepiColombo and will explore Mercury's ... [Read More]
Our USLI project is progressing on schedule. We completed the building and launch of a scale model of our launch vehicle, which went very well. Even in a light breeze it was very stable and flew ... [Read More]
This post covers several from my Semroc Fleet: Gee'hod SLS Sky Hook Recruiter Space Probe LAUNCH Missile Gee'hod
This is the latest in Semroc's line of Groonies (Grown-up Goonies). Inspired by ... [Read More]
Here are my motor reviews from EMRR. AeroTech G77R (updated!) AeroTech G79W (updated!) Quest D5-0 Plugged Ellis Mountain SU J110 (out-of-production) Ellis Mountain SU J228 (out-of-production) ... [Read More]
Estes has already sent out new LED launch controllers to TRF members for testing. Their reviews are now being posted - here's mine: At Jaunuary's NEFAR launch in Bunnell , Florida, John Bishop gave ... [Read More]
Vladimir Isachenkov, The Associated Press MOSCOW - The Russian military closely monitored last year's flight of a new U.S. spaceplane but hasn't decided whether it needs a similar craft, a top ... [Read More]
Over the years, I've seen numerous photos of what appeared to be models of aircraft attached to rockets (ref: Photos of odd, interesting, vintage rockets ). One reader (R2K) posed the question ... [Read More]
I ran a half marathon this past weekend which wouldn't normally have anything to do with rocketry. This race however was in Pasadena, CA and about halfway through the race I realized that I was ... [Read More]
"The Lockheed Martin Orion team at NASA?s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, La., inspects the first Orion crew module known as the Ground Test Article (GTA) prior to shipping to Lockheed ... [Read More]
If I knew this, I'd forgotten it. The Bloodhound SSC will use a 'different' kind of hybrid engine - catalyzed High Test Peroxide (HTP) + good ol' HTPB. Clark Lindsey found an article about ... [Read More]
R2K dug up some historical footage of the NERVA Nuclear Rocket Engine facilities, including some test firings. As a bonus, he posted a video about Soviet nuclear thermal rocket engines. The ... [Read More]
United States Air Force engineers currently plan to fly the second X-51A Waverider hypersonic flight test demonstrator as early as next Tuesday, programme officials said earlier this week. "We are ... [Read More]
Alamogordo Daily News By Michael Shinabery, New Mexico Museum of Space History Newspapers worldwide announced Jacques Valier's May 17, 1930, death, although details varied and were mostly wrong, ... [Read More]
Forty-five years after its first Saturn V rocket stage test and 35 years after its first space shuttle main engine test, the A-2 Test Stand at NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center achieved a ... [Read More]
"Michael, our biz VP, said at ISDC that we show the good and the bad. Which reminded me that I was planning to share this video when we flew, and we've flown. This is a test on March 30th 2009, the ... [Read More]
"It features an all carbon fiber motor case, ablative fin leading edges, and a titanium nose cone tip. Flying on an O5000, it flew to about 50000 ft and reached a maximum speed of about Mach 3.3." ... [Read More]
Many would have you think the meltdowns are disasters on unprecedented scale, others that they are just minor accidents. One thing is certain; these meltdowns are second only to Chernobyl as the ... [Read More]
http://www.jwst.nasa.gov/images.html Is it rude to suggest that the James Webb Space Telescope makes your telescope, and by association you, look lame? No it isn't.
[Read More]
By Frank Morring, Jr. Washington U.S. spacecraft engineers with federal funding will pursue at least five different ways to replace the space shuttle in the next few years, from capsules that ... [Read More]
Note, this documention is provided for developers of software applications which interface with RocketReviews.com. It is not useful for most visitors to RocketReviews.com. GetRockets Method ... [Read More]
I caught yesterday's hover test of Project Morpheus via their UStream feed . Lots of waiting for a short flight event. They Tweet in real time so I'll probably check status there before ... [Read More]
"The Gazelle (SH-08/ABM-3), also known by its Russian designation, 53T6, is a short-range, high-acceleration interceptor missile designed and manufactured by the Soviet Union.(1) At present, 68 ... [Read More]
While JSC is tweaking their methane-powered version of the Quad, Armadillo has begun testing their pointy, fin-legged Supermod. It spat "A bit of fire ... but not as much as we wanted." ... [Read More]
I bought a keychain camera from Ebay recently. It can be taped to the side of rockets for on board flights. It should be fun to play with. Im going to do some testing at the park with my Big Daddy ... [Read More]
Source: http://www.nasa.gov It wasn't too many years ago that there was this thing about asking sports heroes after winning the big game, "So, what's next?" They would always dutifully answer "I'm ... [Read More]
Upon my return from the Southern Thunder Rocket Launch and the successful flight of my X-104 Morganza project. I have been pouring over the data returned from the Raven flight computer. The Raven ... [Read More]
CANOGA PARK, Calif., July 20, 2011 ? Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne has successfully completed a chill test and 1.9 second ignition test of NASA?s J-2X engine at John C. Stennis Space Center, Miss. ... [Read More]
Here's the newest from Balsa Machining Service: The MIGHTY D 12v Launch Controller It's a innovative design - 12 volts of power in a 7" long X 5" tall box. It'll fire any igniter from a Micromaxx to ... [Read More]
I’ve updated the site to support voting in the Design the Spaceship contest. I still have to manually add one additional entry then do some testing to make sure everything ... [Read More]
As discussed on YORF , a new line of composite motors have been developed by the German manufacturer Klima. These are currently being CE certified. Here's the most interesting revelation ... [Read More]
Member : Kurt Gugisberg Club : Rocketry Organization of California Web Page : http://home.earthlink.net/~kurtgug/id17.html Altitude : 2000 feet Motors : J570 central--H180 airstart--H128 airstart ... [Read More]
Check out SMR ground testing the ejection charges on his recycling container Jayhawk, the JayCoke Zero . You can read all about the build here (direct link to the page showing the full view, ... [Read More]
Here you see her maiden flight on a N2850 Blue to Mach 2.2 Member : Steve Jurveston Club(s) : AeroPAC, TCC, Lunar, Rocket Mavericks Altitude : 32,000' AGL Motor : AMW 2801 Skidmark Project Note : ... [Read More]
Why would anyone want to do this? To do strength of materials testing on forks, of course! I had no idea how to categorize this post. I guess it goes under sport rocketry since modroc motors ... [Read More]
a dummy fires out of a mock-up of a cockpit during testing of the escape system for the LTV A-7BE Corsair II at Naval Weapons Center (NWC) China Lake, California , a photo by aeroman3 on Flickr.
[Read More]
Here's the latest product test from the Odd'l Rockets accessories: The 3/16" RAISE SPRING! The original 1/8" launch rod Raise Spring is at the top, the new 3/16" Raise Spring is at the bottom. I've ... [Read More]
A Proton M rocket roared of the pad last night at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan. It carried an amazing commercial satellite. The ViaSat-1. The ViaSat-1 is capable of providing up to 40MB ... [Read More]
High Explosive Weight of projectile: 4.8 t (4,800 kg) Muzzle velocity: 820 m/s Maximum range: 48 km Explosive mass: 700 kg Crater size: 30 ft (10 m) wide 30 ft (10 m) deep.
AP Shell The main body ... [Read More]
Upon further digging, I found videos of the rocket-powered aerodynamics testing of 0.133 scale rocket powered Convair XFY-1 "Pogo" models. I previously have posted a couple of still shots of ... [Read More]
It is always shocking to see how much altitude the pros (NASA, NACA, others) have gotten with motors in the M to R range. Yet within our hobby we routinely see R motors fail to break 100,000 feet, ... [Read More]
The following motor has been certified by NAR Standards & Testing for general use as a Model Rocket Motor effective September 29, 2011. *************************************
Estes: E ... [Read More]
I previously posted a photo of the business end of this rocket. The poster didn't have many details and said it was known as the CT target rocket . Tonight, I decided to look further and found both ... [Read More]
I saw this on ebay this morning. The seller suggests that this is an early regen engine prototype that came out of Robert Goddard's workshop. That would be cool! The seller ... [Read More]
If you are interesting the history of nuclear testing, NERVA and other propulsion programs, photos of explosions, and big holes in the desert, you may like Nevada National Security Site Office's ... [Read More]
It's not every day that America designs an entirely new spacecraft. Rarer still is the creation of a vehicle that can carry man, not just machine, beyond the earth's gravitational pull. In the ... [Read More]
"The James Webb Space Telescope will experience intense forces as it launches into space. To ensure that the different parts of the observatory won't suffer damage during this stage of the ... [Read More]
LAS CRUCES - Lowell Randall, described by his friend and biographer Joe Gold of Las Cruces, as "the last surviving member of a team of great pioneer rocket scientists who launched the U.S. space ... [Read More]
This camera was $16 shipped from Ebay. It comes with an 8 gig internal card, and actually works as a pen if you would want to be a spy. The size of the thing, and the fact that it has a bunch of ... [Read More]
'The ZipSter' Planning Space Diver Powered Rocket Flight on Interorbital Booster- Spaceports - German SkyDiver Olav Zipser will ride a Interorbital Systems’ SR 145 rocket to 131,000 ft., ... [Read More]
Booms ...brought to you via High Power Rocketry (and the Energetic Materials Research and Testing Center at New Mexico Tech.
Year anniversaries: Fukushima (March 11), X-37B OTV-2 (March 5).
... [Read More]
First seen on The Original Rocket Dungeon. "In the world of ordnance system development the need for system and subsystem testing under dynamic conditions is obvious. A number of approaches have ... [Read More]
Unfortunately the existing casing for the latest motor, a single-burn boiler plate motor, was accidentally damaged prior to testing, so I'm fabricating a new one. Nothing new; cut to ... [Read More]
Click to see the full res.
"Capt. Catercia Isaac checks out the inside of the Mark-1 space chamber Oct. 5, 2009, at Arnold Air Force Base, Tenn. Capt. Issac is a physicist and the flight ... [Read More]
I don't need an excuse to launch - any holiday works! April Fool's Day seemed appropriate for what happened. First and second up was my tree branched damaged CENTURION , launched twice with B6-4s to ... [Read More]
"In September of 1959, JPL held a press conference to celebrate the opening of its new hypersonic wind tunnel, the third wind tunnel built at JPL from 1947 to 1959. A JPL engineer is shown ... [Read More]
"The first Project Mercury quarterly report covers testing of Mercury spacecraft aerodynamics using models fired by a gun (at over 10,000 mph) and in wind tunnels (mach 14), escape tower tests in ... [Read More]
NASA Preps Atomic Clock for Deep Space GPS - Space.com - Accurate and stable clocks are central to position (orbit, attitude) control and communications and this will help immensely on both ... [Read More]
By: Zach Rosenberg Source: Flight International Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne and Dynetics have announced a resurrected F-1 engine as their entry into the advanced booster engineering d ... [Read More]
Falcon 9/Dragon Launch Delayed One Week - Parabolic Arc
Graupel alert! - DCist - before this Spring, I had never heard of graupel.
More info in coming out about Planetary Resources in ... [Read More]
I have been away this week at the USA Science and Engineering Festival. This is a giant (ca. 3,000 exhibitor) festival that takes place in the equally giant DC convention center A - C halls. Much ... [Read More]
I was out at the FAR site helping out with a SStS static firing and took my son along. It was his first time to the site and I think he loved it. I certainly did. I had a lot ... [Read More]
I, like millions of other comic book/action film fans, saw Marvel's The Avengers last weekend. I thought it was great but won't bore you with a review ( Rotten Tomatoes ). See it, just see it! ... [Read More]
(via Space.com )
ParabolicArc provided the following synopsis of the announcement. Clark Lindsey has now posted the press release.
Kent ... [Read More]
"The MiniCube is small plastic box five cm on a side. On the base is a standard camera tripod mount. You put your project inside the cube and mails it to JP Aerospace. We carry it to ... [Read More]
I've still been busy and haven't been looking at a lot of random stuff on the web. Here's all I have:
ARB test Flights , Air Command (6/18, Katz) - Ttesting Air Reservoir Boosters ... [Read More]
Been slacking on the random Internet surfing. Here's all I have:
Dude, here is your flying car ! Wisconsin freeway buckles due to the heat, SUV takes off. Whoa!
Testing the LGM-118A ... [Read More]
XCOR Aerospace announced Thursday that it would be establishing a new base at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for manufacturing and testing of the company's Lynx suborbital ... [Read More]
SpaceRef has an article about NASA Ames PhoneSat project. PhoneSat is a based on the standard 4" Cubesat and reportedly costs a meager $3500. The off-the-shelf hardware includes the ... [Read More]
Yesterday during flight testing of Xaero vehicle at higher altitudes the craft started to oscillate during landing final approach and crashed to the ground in a fiery explosion. official ... [Read More]
This rocket looks mean indeed! The rocket features extra thick CF fins and nosecone, both of which use a high temperature epoxy. Although the fins are surface mounted, without tip to ... [Read More]
I have delayed posting about this semesters project for awhile now, but now that I have a decent amount of material to present it is time to post it here. The idea of a rockoon system is to lift a ... [Read More]
SRNL Deploys Innovative Radiation Mapping Device AIKEN, S.C. – The Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), EM’s national lab, has made strides with remote technology designed to ... [Read More]
Every year I like to review some of the top post and subjects in Rocketry on my blog for the year. I now have visitors from 172 countries. Here is this years top 10 according to page views. 10. ... [Read More]
From a NAR Email: The following motor has been certified by NAR Standards & Testing for general use as a Model Rocket Motor effective November 25, 2012. ************************************* ... [Read More]
I'll do Step 7, marking the fin and lug locations, after the engine mount is in place. I want to use my FinTool which centers the engine hook between two fins. There was a problem with the fit ... [Read More]
There was a recent post on TRF asking about Frog Tape for masking model rockets. Consumer Reports just gave it high marks in it's March 2013 issue. It scored better than the 3M blue tapes. Some ... [Read More]
The very first Atlas V from Vandenberg for NASA launched today, February 11th 2013 at 18:02 UTC. The Atlas V 401 is carrying the Landsat Data Continuity Mission spacecraft into orbit - which will ... [Read More]
Chamber Separation Disk (CSD) in the Mid-Bulkhead
I completed the modifications to the MBH ,CSD, and plug recently. The entire DSS TM-1-2 test motor is ... [Read More]
From German V-2 failures to a robot dog tossing cinder blocks, Jalopnik presents The Ten Most Unbelievable Military Testing Videos . You can argue the 'most' and the 'unbelievable' but they are ... [Read More]
It been almost exactly one year since I started this motor...far too long. SStS has been going very slowly and in spite of some recent progress, I suspect that the the way forward ... [Read More]
Washington, DC - NASA has selected 21 space technology payloads for flights on commercial reusable launch vehicles, balloons, and a commercial parabolic aircraft. This latest selection represents ... [Read More]
Dr. Leland R. Dexter has announced that he, through Micro Nitro Rocketry , will be producing "Caldera-style" Micro and Mini Hybrids. Rene Caldera designed and sold parts kits for ... [Read More]
"With more than 600 rounds fired in theater to date, Excalibur is the revolutionary precision projectile for the U.S. Army and Marine Corps artillery. Using GPS precision guidance technology, ... [Read More]
Here's a timeline of selected posts from YORF Read the entire thread HERE Notice the post dates: From Bill Stine on YORF - August 12, 2011 - So much for keeping this project "Top Secret"... ... [Read More]
I found both these items vis the Unwanted Blog. First up is an artist's concept of DARPA's Experimental Spaceplane (XS-1) program . They have issued an RFI for a hypersonic 'airplane like' vehicle ... [Read More]
At the NEFAR rocket launch last weekend, I had my Phantom 2 Vision quadcopter report “Control Signal Lost.” I found that it happened each time that I tried to increase the altitude above ... [Read More]
Everyone is talking about a few photos snapped of a Falcon 9 with landing legs at the McGregor testing facility. No not the Grasshopper. Well perhaps Grasshopper 2 or 1.1 or even F9R. See the ... [Read More]
I just found a few old issues of Boy's Life and spotted an article by Issac Asimov, entitled "Driverless Cars, Planes in Space: Isaac Asimov Looks at the Future of Travel." He made numerous ... [Read More]
Normally, I might toss an old controller when it doesn't work anymore. I did want to hang on to this one. This was a test controller, made up at Estes with the first LED continuity lights installed. ... [Read More]
This past Saturday, we conducted the recovery test to check if the parachute chamber(green tube) will separate itself from the electronics module(black tube). The mechanism behind this system ... [Read More]
Braving the 100 degree humiture, I traipsed out this afternoon to a local park to fly a couple of low tech water rockets and my Blade 180-QX Quadcopter. My drone piloting skills suck...hence the ... [Read More]
For the past few weeks, we have been busy organizing our bay and our online database so that everything can be managed more efficiently. The team is now back from the competition and our plans for ... [Read More]
On TRF, sooner.boomer posted the question: Parachute-How Big, Too Big? How can I find the minimum weight for a given diameter chute (assuming a spherical chute)? Race58 gave these links: By ... [Read More]
I wrote this a long time ago and just noticed it sitting in the post section as a draft. This launch was ten years ago in the spring of 2004 and apparently I was thinking about boosted darts ... [Read More]
The Dextrose from Lucky Vitamin has arrived. I want to do a little testing with it since I don't have a lot of experience with Dextrose. At least not nearly as much as with Sorbitol ... [Read More]
Theo and I tested the TR-1 motor on Saturday and unfortunately suffered a cato. It was an impressive sounding motor for that first few milliseconds though. Apparently I should ... [Read More]
So the TR-1 didn't go the way that I had hoped but it wasn't all bad. It reinforced the idea that making even a small change to your plan should be very carefully considered. A ... [Read More]
I finally bought an altimeter! All my posted altitudes were guesses based on Open Rocket and Semroc predictions. I'm a little wary about using it. I know the actual heights reached will be lower ... [Read More]
I suspect that the switch from sorbitol to dextrose based propellant was the reason the TR-1 motor experienced a cato. More specifically the fact that most Dextrose is the monohydrate form ... [Read More]
Here's one I'm looking forward to testing! Gary Minton emailed the suggestion for a Spudnik. I wish I had come up with the idea! I had ordered a few "stress ball" potatoes. They were ... [Read More]
I launched the SPUDNIK twice yesterday morning, both times with a A10-3t engine. Both flights were stable to about 100 feet but there was corkscrewing. The Odd'l Rockets Sputnik (with ... [Read More]
I've had a hard time finding time to post, but the good news is that I have been finding little bits of time here and there to continue working on rocket stuff. I went through and organized my ... [Read More]
"Los Alamos National Laboratory scientists recently flight tested a new rocket design that includes a high-energy fuel and a motor design that also delivers a high degree of safety. "What we're ... [Read More]
I add a red tape piece over the launch buttons on my controllers. Shouldn't a launch button be red anyway? The Estes controllers have been a single color for years now. I place a piece of ... [Read More]
After much speculation about igniters and supplies, Bill Stine posted this on TRF: OK, here's an official response from Quest: First, NO, Q2G2 igniters are NOT gone forever and you will be ... [Read More]
I thought we really had a winner with this one. It went through more flight testing than any other Odd'l design. Roger Smith designed software to input your art or a NAR logo and section name. I ... [Read More]
From John Boren (JumpJet on TRF): "Sorry I haven't posted in this thread yet but I couldn't find it and since I seldom go to the Watering Hole section it was by chance I found this thread ... [Read More]
Looking back on 2014 it was a big year for Odd'l Rockets! In February, the Odd'l Rockets multi-size PARACHUTE is printed and bagged! The PIGASUS Kit is introduced at NARCON last March. Flame ... [Read More]
Check out this cool vintage video of NACA/Langley testing subscale models of the B-58. One rocket with canted motors...or two rockets strapped together? [Read More]
I don't go to the rocketry forums as often as I used to. Many times posts go off topic. I went off topic today. GH Rocketman will tell you how he feels. I don't know if this is his true ... [Read More]
The planned May 20 fourth launch of a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas-V rocket with a Boeing/U.S. Air Force X-37B spaceplane comes as the Air Force is shifting to more military spaceplane ... [Read More]
Here's a great YouTube video from Bernardotech.org on Stability and Swing Testing CLICK HERE "A tutorial on how to design a model rocket in such a way that it will be stable and fly correctly. ... [Read More]
“At this time, the investigation remains ongoing, as SpaceX and the investigation team continue analyzing significant amounts of data and conducting additional testing that must be ... [Read More]
SpaceX just posted this great shot of a Merlin engine painted black. “Upgraded Merlin rocket engine with special black coating for thermal testing” – SpaceX [Read More]
Click here for the Pro Series II introduction . Here is the Ventris.
First step, of course, is to check all the parts.
The fins are made of 1/8 inch plywood, and they're nice and large. ... [Read More]
Soon to be released from Jolly Logic - THE CHUTE RELEASE "Chute Release is designed to be extremely easy to use. As a first step, you attach the tether to one of the parachute shroud ... [Read More]
From the Rocketry Forum: Bernard Cawley was testing a prototype of the new Jolly Logic Chute Release. Something in the last posted picture looked familiar. His Big Bertha was recovered using a 15" ... [Read More]
It's been too rainy to prime and even get in a swing test. I decided to make a Rocksim model just for kicks. Despite having put in all sorts of crazy winged things with pods and pods on pods, I was ... [Read More]
You can generate an image of your rocket in flight in the Photo Studio in OpenRocket. Now that we've run a first simulation using Estes C6-5 motors, let's try a couple things. What if I'd built the ... [Read More]
Here's a recent build still in the flight testing phase. Anyone who was around in the late 1970s through early 1980s will recognize the F-16 from the Centuri Fighter Fleet series. The fins in the ... [Read More]
Click here for the previous post . As detailed in my previous post, I recently completed the Estes Reflector, and despite a few bad turns during construction, I managed to make the rocket look ... [Read More]
Once I got my indoor, positive-pressure spray paint booth built, it was time to test it out. I started with the white undercoat on the Quest Superbird. The Superbird is built, and looks great. I am ... [Read More]
After a long self-taught (and frequently confused) journey involving assembling this rocket, and building the electronics bay, I just needed to track down some black powder, set up my ground station, ... [Read More]
One of the best features of the NAR manufacturer's forum is that you are exposed to new ideas and products beyond your normal hobby experience. This was the case for me and vendor #6, Cris Erving of ... [Read More]
The final chapter in the long saga of building the Darkstar Extreme: ground testing. Actually, I don’t know whether I should have saved this step for the end. I’ve been looking at what ... [Read More]
The Thrifty Rocketeer blog continues... Most of us have flown an Estes Rocket kit before, and so we are familiar with the small blurb on the packaging and certainly in the instructions that ... [Read More]
SNAP and other forms of nuclear reactor, intended for use in space, pose unique engineering and safety challenges. They must be light weight and yet must safely allow for the dangers of rocket ... [Read More]
I thought it was high time that I should sit down and write an update post on the 2022 model rocket binge build. So here goes: There is no update ! The truth is, I barely even touched a ... [Read More]
I've added some steps to this build that don't appear in the original kit instructions. First off, some CWF is applied to all of the small gaps in the wing and fuselage joints, then ... [Read More]
I had some spare cash a few months back, which enabled me to fulfill a goal I have had since a kid - build an experimental setup to measure the thrust curve of rocket motors. I have wanted to do this ... [Read More]
