Launch Report, March 15, '98

This was a Boy Scout launch, and I took advantage of the opportunity and the big field to fly some of my new rockets. It was a sunny day with moderate temperature, but a steady wind that chilled the fingers.

Flights (of my rockets):

• Quark (4.8x repro) [D12-5]
  Good flight to about 400', chute melted, no damage.
• Ariane 44L [D12-5]
  Good boost for a heavy plastic PMC, but at ejection the chute melted and it came down fast. Two of the 4 strap on boosters went flying upon impact as well as 4 of the 8 display nozzles. All parts recovered.
• Saturn (2stage) [AT E30-4W]
  This PMC was right around 16oz. The initial attempt to put in on the pad revealed the ommision of a lauch lug (I had intended to bore an internal hole through the length of the rocket). The cardboard tube in which Aerotech packs igniters proved perfect for the 3/16" rod, and after several wraps of masking tape to act as a standoff (to allow the rod to clear the aft fairing) these were attached alongside the first stage conduit by three wraps of masking tape, one near the interstage ring and the other just above the aft fairing.

  I succeeded in getting the copperhead igniter in correctly, and with my 12V lead acid battery and 18g wire it lit without chuffing (composite motor success at last!) Still, I cut too big a hole in the red cap, so after ignition the cap constricted and held the igniter in a death grip while the copper leads fluttered in the exhaust stream. This is the probable cause of the odd flight trajectory, the rocket heading across the wind, away from us, with maybe a 45 or 60 degree angle. At ejection, the chute melted and it began plummitting. I kept hoping the chute was just tangled and would pop open any second, but it didn't. Three of the 4 display nozzles broke off, the first and second stages separated, an interior bulkhead (top of 2nd stage tank) broke from the walls, the conical shroud between the 2nd and 3rd stages suffered a fracture and had a section broken off (this was the location of the body/nose separation), the upper end of the stuffer tube came unwound, one of the 4 panels enclosing the LEM detached, and the service module, capsule, and escape tower were never found.

  The makeshift launch lugs were still solidly attached.

• Wood Rocket [A8-3]
  Blown off the table during prep resulting in minor damage to the nose section which was field repaired by a few wraps of masking tape. Flight was straight, spin was pretty in the late sunlight, chute deployed and was recovered near the pads with one broken fin.
• Dragonship (1.59X repro) [cluster D12-5,C6-5,C6-5]
  Excellent flight. All three engines lit simultaneously and it got going in a hurry. A slight wavering (maybe 12") on the bost probably from variations in engine thrust. Ejection at apogee around 600'. I had enough damage from melted chutes, so I doubled up on the wadding and wrapped an extra piece around the folded chute. The 24" chute deployed perfectly and had enough shock cord that it could be seen paying out. Sailed for about 1/4 mile to the far corner of the field, and just made it to some pavement, resulting in a 1/4" ding on the right wing tip.
• Quark (original) [A3-4T]
  Good flight, disappeared after ejection, recovered after a short field search.