Launch Report, November 17-18, 2012

The November launch saw the return of typical Bayboro weather, cold and windy. Luckily, the rain held off until Sunday.

The NC State University Student Launch Initiative team came by to test their subscale rocket. The NASA USLI project requires the team to build and fly a high power rocket to 5280 feet with a scientific payload. But first they must fly a subscale model to prove the stability of the design. Their subscale rocket would have to win Alan?s best named rocket award:?Failed Soviet Project. It flew on an I300T motor donated by David Hash. The up part was ok, but the planned dual-deployment recovery using a Missileworks RRC2 did not go as well. The drogue did not eject? due to a very tight coupler. Fortunately the main did deploy at high speed. Some minor zipper damage resulted.

Mike Collier was the most prolific flier, with six flights, one of which was a successful L1 certification! Congratulations Mike! He flew a Public Missiles Phobos on an Cesaroni H87-9 to 1720 feet. Besides the cert flight he also flew a bunch of low and mid power rockets, including his Navaho AGM two stage on a B6-0 and C6-5.

Warren English flew the biggest motors of the day. He launched his fiberglass Formula 75 on an I284. He was using a new line cutter from Archetype Rocketry to deploy the main. It did not work as planned, but the rocket suffered no damage even though it landed without a chute. He also flew his 12 lb. Vindicator on a Gorilla Motor Works J465. It was successful after a bit of chuffing on the pad.

Dennis Hill?s son Joe made an appearance and flew his?My Rocket??twice on an F26-6 and a G40-7. He looked very cold after the long trek back to the launch site in the cold wind with only a shirt.

Dave Morey flew his Estes Mega Mosquito with a cluster of two E12s and a D12-7. Like many other reports of E12s with date codes of ?A 08 18 11? these two were more like fireworks. They both blew out both ends, nozzle and ejection charge. Some kind of over pressurization must have occurred. Beware of that production batch if you acquire any E12s. (Four firings of E12s from ?A 11 15 11? have worked fine.)

On Sunday, Ray Bryant was the only flyer. Ken Stroud was there to assist. Ray flew a 54mm two grain KNSO motor which weather cocked and cruised at low altitude before a hard landing. And then the rain squalls began. Between the squalls they did a static test of a five grain 75mm KNSO motor (small L) which performed very well.

Dave Morey

NSCU USLI Team:?http://www.ncsurocketry.com/

Warren?s Vindicator on-board video:?httpv://youtu.be/JVMTZN4QHYI

The motor use summary for Saturday: