All Rocketry Blogs
Rocketeer's Corner: Measuring the thrust of rocket motors... (2017-01-16)
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]
Model Rocket Building: Bill Cook's Engine Test Stand (2017-01-20)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]
Grover Aerospace: More Testing (2017-11-18)A couple screen grabs during ignition from a test earlier this year. Another load in the 76-7600N-s hardware set that cranked out 8760N-s. [Read More]
Rocketeer's Corner: Testing a bit of the past (2017-11-30)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]
Improbable Ventures: Testing electric match for rocket electronics bay: video (2020-01-13)[Read More]
High Power Rocketry: Dryden Video Collection (2006-04-13)The Dryden Flight Research Center has some great videos of aircraft testing. The best is the impact test shown above. Impact Dryden Videos [Read More]
High Power Rocketry: Aerospike Engine (2007-10-21)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]
Randy's Rocketry Blog: The Largest Solid Rocket Motors Ever Flown (2008-09-22)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]
High Power Rocketry: Testing a hybrid motor with a spike nozzle. (2008-10-29)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]
Rocket Dungeon: It's one of those days.... (2008-12-04)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]
Rocket Dungeon: Over regulation may be striking more than rocketry (update) (2008-12-12)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]
DTH Rocket Blog: Aerospace Engineering at STEP (2009-01-15)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]
Value Rockets Blog: Tripoli Motor Testing Certifies New High-Power Mojave Green Reload Kit (2009-03-08)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]
Rocket Dungeon: Barry Tunick answers a few unasked questions (2009-04-02)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]
Rocket Dungeon: Steve Eves' Saturn V ROCKED Maryland's Eastern Shore (2009-04-25)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]
Rocket Dungeon: Masten static test video, for mach diamond fans (2009-05-07)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]
High Power Rocketry: Project NOTS EV-1 (NOTSNIK) (2009-05-10)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]
Rocket Dungeon: Lenticular rockets: FGG-3/Darque Sol/Pye Wacket (2009-05-22)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]
Rocket Dungeon: AeroTech announces the first three items in their new Karl E. Baumann Signature Product Line (2009-05-28)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]
High Power Rocketry: 2009: The year of the motor! (2009-05-29)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]
Rocket Dungeon: Quest F12 test flight (2009-06-02)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]
Rocket Dungeon: APCP cost may be rising (2009-06-19)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]
Bayourat Aerospace Blog: The Greatest Machine Ever Built (2009-07-07)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]
Bayourat Aerospace Blog: The Next Step. The Second Stage. (2009-07-08)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]
Bayourat Aerospace Blog: S.Korea first rocket launch set for August 11 (2009-08-01)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]
High Power Rocketry: Ares X-1 Assembly (2009-08-06)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]
Rocket Dungeon: For someone so interested in the MLAS, I've been snoozin' (2009-08-16)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]
High Power Rocketry: Inflatable Heat Sheilds (Just in time for 2010) (2009-08-18)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]
Bayourat Aerospace Blog: THE CONCEPTS WERE THERE; SO WERE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS. SO WHAT HAPPENED? AND IS ARES NEXT? (2009-08-23)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]
Rocket Dungeon: An Unreasonable rocket vacation (2009-09-09)Paul Breed reports that he's taken vacation from his day job to focus on rocketry. 51 days and 7 testing weekends to go..... [Read More]
Bayourat Aerospace Blog: Bayourat Rocketry Tests Realtime GPS Tracking Device (2009-10-01)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]
Randy's Rocketry Blog: New Motor, Finished Bulkhead (2009-10-11)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]
Value Rockets Blog: AeroTech on Facebook (2009-10-18)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]
Randy's Rocketry Blog: 2.375" Motor Update (2009-10-20)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]
Value Rockets Blog: Tripoli Motor Testing Certifies 38mm RMS Reload Adapter System, Five New High-Power RMS Reload Kits (2009-10-25)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]
Rocket Dungeon: The engineer's desktop before computer desktops (2009-10-27)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]
Rocket Dungeon: Watch the Masten NGLLC flights (updates) (2009-10-28)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]
Value Rockets Blog: NAR Certifies New AeroTech E20W Motor (2009-10-28)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]
Rocket Dungeon: Ares I-X successful, but not perfect (updated) (2009-10-29)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]
Randy's Rocketry Blog: 2.375" Motor (2009-11-29)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]
High Power Rocketry: Operation Credible Sport (2009-12-16)"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]
High Power Rocketry: Operation Teapot (2010-01-01)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]
High Power Rocketry: Project HyShot - Ramjet research (2010-01-08)"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]
Rocket Dungeon: Sport Rocketry January/February 2010 (2010-01-08)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]
Bayourat Aerospace Blog: New Materials Designed To Deal With Hypersonic And Supersonic Hot Stuff (2010-01-08)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]
High Power Rocketry: Project Cannikin - a multi - megaton underground test in Alaska (2010-01-13)"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]
Bayourat Aerospace Blog: The X-37B and Beyond. The Future of the Space Plane (2010-01-15)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]
Value Rockets Blog: AeroTech Lowers Prices on Five Single-Grain 54mm RMS Reload Kits (2010-01-24)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]
Rocket Dungeon: Interesting discussion: Sparkies to come under fire at NFPA: Who Made The G? (2010-01-24)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]
Value Rockets Blog: TMT Certifies Three New AeroTech High-Power RMS K-Class Motors (2010-01-27)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]
Rocket Dungeon: 6 months in the life of Armadillo (2010-01-31)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]
Rocket Dungeon: Changes to the NFPA modroc code are a done deal (well, kinda) (2010-02-02)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]
Rocket Dungeon: NARPres comments on the NFPA 1125 revision (2010-02-02)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]
Rocket Dungeon: Astron Invader and the possible snowpocalypse of 2010 (2010-02-03)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]
Bayourat Aerospace Blog: From X-15 To X-51. Hypersonic Testing Continues At Edwards AFB (2010-03-05)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]
Rocket Dungeon: The quest for 300 psi (2010-04-15)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]
High Power Rocketry: Some recent searches to this page (2010-04-30)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]
High Power Rocketry: N prize team profiles (2010-05-02)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]
Rocket Dungeon: Got a package full of Odd'l stuff (2010-05-05)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]
Bayourat Aerospace Blog: TMT CERTIFIES RATT-WORKS TRI-BRID MOTOR!! (2010-05-18)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]
Rocket Dungeon: The first RATTworks Tribrid motors have been certified by Tripoli (2010-05-18)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]
Rocket Dungeon: Hump day rocketry vacuum (2010-06-09)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]
Randy's Rocketry Blog: Launch update (2010-07-13)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]
High Power Rocketry: IR footage from ballistic missile (2010-07-24)"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]
Rocket Dungeon: On-board video like you haven't seen since the late 60's, far out, man (2010-07-24)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]
High Power Rocketry: Rexus 1 - Student built sounding rocket (2010-07-30)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]
DTH Rocket Blog: Ejection Charge Ground Test (2010-08-10)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]
DTH Rocket Blog: Certification Attempt Tomorrow: Gulp. (2010-08-13)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]
Greg Smith's Blog: On the mend (2010-08-21)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]
Bayourat Aerospace Blog: Full-Scale NASA and ATK Solid Rocket Motor Test Set for Aug. 31 (2010-08-31)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]
DTH Rocket Blog: PrISUm (2010-09-07)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]
High Power Rocketry: Two new books (pt. 2) (2010-09-11)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]
Bayourat Aerospace Blog: Boeing To Build Capsule To Fly Tourist To The ISS (2010-09-17)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]
High Power Rocketry: Inventing death: Interview with a (maybe) CIA weapons designer (2010-09-23)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]
AKS Rockets: Previous launches (2010-10-24)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]
High Power Rocketry: TubeSat Personal Satellite Kit (2010-11-01)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]
Bayourat Aerospace Blog: Gaseous Hydrogen Leak Repairs Completed. Testing To Follow. (2010-11-18)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]
Rocket Dungeon: X-Plane updates - news and rumors (2010-11-22)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]
Rocket Dungeon: OMG, a flying Pogo on a stick! (2010-12-04)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]
Rocket Dungeon: The Dungeon's Top Ten of 2010 (updated) (2010-12-05)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]
Rocket Dungeon: Mega-Review: Modified Art Applewhite Standard Flying Saucers (LONG) (2010-12-16)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]
Rocket Dungeon: Review: Deuce XL5 (2010-12-24)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]
Rocket Dungeon: Review: THOY - Snipe (2010-12-30)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]
Rocket Dungeon: Mega Review: Art Applewhite Double Helix Monocopters (2011-01-11)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]
High Power Rocketry: Giant 'chute (2011-01-15)"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]
High Power Rocketry: Blasting MMO with heat to test near-Sun performance (2011-01-19)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]
DTH Rocket Blog: USLI Testing Proceeding Interestingly (2011-01-19)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]
Rocket Dungeon: Mega Review: A Semroc Flood! (2011-01-23)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]
Rocket Dungeon: Mega Review: Motors (2011-01-24)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]
Model Rocket Building: New Estes LED Launch Controller (2011-01-27)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]
Bayourat Aerospace Blog: Russian military undecided about whether to match latest US spaceplane (2011-01-28)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]
Rocket Dungeon: On testing planes on rockets: (2011-02-06)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]
Randy's Rocketry Blog: JPL (2011-02-10)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]
High Power Rocketry: First Orion Capsule (2011-02-12)"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]
Rocket Dungeon: The Bloodhound SCC, HTP, and HTPB (2011-02-15)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]
Rocket Dungeon: NERVA testing videos (2011-03-13)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]
Bayourat Aerospace Blog: Modified X-51A Waverider Ready for Next Hypersonic Test (2011-03-20)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]
Bayourat Aerospace Blog: Jacques Valier Advanved Rocketry At The Cost Of His Life (2011-03-21)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]
Bayourat Aerospace Blog: Stenis Test Stand Passes Review for Next-Generation Rocket Engine Testing (2011-03-31)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]
High Power Rocketry: 4 Alcohol - LOX engines tested on one stand! (2011-04-08)"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]
High Power Rocketry: Silver Spur3 - Student Rocket (2011-04-09)"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]
High Power Rocketry: A "minor" accident? (2011-04-11)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]
High Power Rocketry: Testing of JWST flight mirrors (2011-04-15)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]
Bayourat Aerospace Blog: There Are Five Vehicles Competing To Succeed The Space Shuttle (2011-04-23)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]
RocketReviews.com Blog: FlightLogs Web Service – GetRockets Method (2011-04-25)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]
Rocket Dungeon: Project Morpheus, tethered test #4, LIVE (2011-05-05)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]
High Power Rocketry: The Russian ABM - Gazelle SH-08/ABM-3 (2011-05-05)"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]
Rocket Dungeon: Armadillo Supermod testing has begun (2011-05-07)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]
AKS Rockets: New Camera!!! (2011-06-14)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]
Bayourat Aerospace Blog: J-2X Development Engine E10001 Makes The Trip To Test Stand A-2 (2011-06-14)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]
Bayourat Aerospace Blog: Post Flight Data Analysis From The X-104 Morganza Project. (2011-07-05)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]
Bayourat Aerospace Blog: Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne's Next Generation J-2X Upper-Stage Engine (2011-07-21)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]
Model Rocket Building: The New BMS MIGHTY D Launch Controller (2011-08-06)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]
RocketReviews.com Blog: Another Design the Spaceship Contest Update (2011-08-08)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]
Rocket Dungeon: New composite motors coming (2011-08-12)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]
XPRS 2011: Nibbles Lander (2011-08-15)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]
Rocket Dungeon: Big a$$ project of the day...this is what I call a supersized serving! (2011-08-25)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]
XPRS 2011: Mach 2 or Bust (2011-09-08)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]
Rocket Dungeon: Fork Rocket Ready to Launch (2011-09-16)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]
Rocket Dungeon: Hmm, I smell a new project (2011-09-26)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]
Model Rocket Building: Coming Soon! 3/16" Raise Spring from Odd'l Rockets (2011-10-10)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]
Bayourat Aerospace Blog: Satellite Broadband Just Got Infinitely Better Thanks To The Launch Of ViaSat - 1 (2011-10-20)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 Power Rocketry: More Schwerer Gustav and Dora images - Railway guns (2011-10-22)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]
Rocket Dungeon: Videos of the rocket-boosted XFY-1 Pogo (2011-10-25)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]
High Power Rocketry: Are two N motors enough for space? (2011-10-28)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]
Rocket Dungeon: Estes E12 certified!?! (2011-10-29)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]
Rocket Dungeon: CalTech Target Rocket (2011-11-03)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]
Randy's Rocketry Blog: Goddard Prototype? (2011-11-15)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]
Rocket Dungeon: Nevada Test Site photo gallery (2011-11-17)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]
High Power Rocketry: Sonic testing on soda-can rocket airframe (2011-11-20)Read more at http://nprize.blogspot.com/ [Read More]
Bayourat Aerospace Blog: Orion, Our Future Spacecraft Undergoes Simulated Space Testing (2011-12-02)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]
High Power Rocketry: Shake table testing of JWST mirrors under various vibration stresses (2011-12-09)"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]
Bayourat Aerospace Blog: Dr. Goddard's Last Surviving Team Member Passes Away At Age 96 (2012-01-07)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]
High Power Rocketry: USB pen camera (2012-01-10)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]
Rocket Dungeon: Feed reader stars, tweets, and other interesting links (2012-03-02)'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]
High Power Rocketry: Energetic Materials Research and Testing Center (2012-03-06)Explosions. [Read More]
Rocket Dungeon: Feed reader stars, tweets and other interesting links (2012-03-06)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]
High Power Rocketry: VERA: A low cost, low acceleration transonic impact gun (2012-03-18)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]
Rocket Dungeon: Your daily dose of vintage miscellany (LONG) (2012-03-24)Starting with something you don't see everyday: A-12 perched upside down for radar testing. V-1 pulse jet by Ford!?! ... [Read More]
Randy's Rocketry Blog: SStS casing part three (2012-03-27)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]
High Power Rocketry: Mark-1 space chamber (2012-03-29)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]
Model Rocket Building: April Fool's Day Launch, 4/1/2012 - Rockets and Catfish (2012-04-02)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]
High Power Rocketry: Hypersonic Wind Tunnel (2012-04-02)"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]
High Power Rocketry: Project Mercury 1st Quarterly Report Oct-Dec 1959 (2012-04-09)"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]
Rocket Dungeon: Links roundup (2012-04-12)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]
Bayourat Aerospace Blog: Pratt & Whitney, Rocketdyne To Resurrect 40 Year Old 6,000kN F-1 Engines For SLS Boosters (2012-04-20)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]
Rocket Dungeon: Links roundup (2012-04-23)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]
High Power Rocketry: Just back from DC - The USA Science & Engineering Festival (2012-04-30)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]
Randy's Rocketry Blog: First Launch (2012-05-07)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]
Rocket Dungeon: Avengers! (2012-05-07)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]
Rocket Dungeon: ATK announces the details of their Liberty rocket (2012-05-09)(via Space.com ) ParabolicArc provided the following synopsis of the announcement. Clark Lindsey has now posted the press release. Kent ... [Read More]
High Power Rocketry: Testing the new blogger with a rocket image (2012-05-11)It works. [Read More]
Rocket Dungeon: Launch Report 2012-4 "Lucky 13" (2012-05-26)Location: Old National Pike Park, Mt. Airy, MD ( NARHAMS ) Weather: mostly sunny, hot (96 on the field!), wind 0-5 mph Total flights: Today - 13; YTD - 30 Total motors: Today - 13; YTD - 36 Motors ... [Read More]
High Power Rocketry: MiniCube - $320 to near space (2012-05-30)"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]
Rocket Dungeon: Little Joe Rocket Testing (2012-06-13)Little Joe Rocket Testing , a photo by San Diego Air & Space Museum Archives on Flickr. [Read More]
Rocket Dungeon: Links roundup (2012-06-17)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]
High Power Rocketry: Testing the LGM-118A Peacekeeper (2012-07-04)[Read More]
Rocket Dungeon: Links roundup (mostly off-topic stuff) (2012-07-05)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]
High Power Rocketry: Testing of shuttle nosecone in oven (2012-07-11)[Read More]
DTH Rocket Blog: XCOR to Open New Operations/Manufacturing Facility in Florida (2012-08-24)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]
Rocket Dungeon: PhoneSat 1.0 (2012-08-27)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]
Wayne Hill's Blog: Masten Xaero vehicle lost in fiery explosion (2012-09-12)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]
High Power Rocketry: N5800 rocket ready for Balls (2012-09-18)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]
DTH Rocket Blog: Rockoon (2012-10-14)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]
High Power Rocketry: Scramjet engine testing (2012-11-01)[Read More]
High Power Rocketry: Full-room radiation mapping device (2012-11-28)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]
Wayne Hill's Blog: Top 10 Post on Rocketry Blog for 2012 (2012-12-31)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]
Model Rocket Building: New Estes Engines? (2013-01-11)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]
Model Rocket Building: Quest Cobalt Build Part 3 Step 8 Gluing The Engine Mount (2013-01-13)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]
Model Rocket Building: Frog Tape? (2013-01-29)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]
Bayourat Aerospace Blog: .Launch of Landsat DCM on Atlas V from Vandenberg . (2013-02-11)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]
Randy's Rocketry Blog: SStS, CSD UPDATE (2013-02-28)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]
Rocket Dungeon: Ten military testing videos (2013-03-28)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]
Randy's Rocketry Blog: TR-1 ROCKET MOTOR UPDATE (2013-05-13)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]
Bayourat Aerospace Blog: NASA Selects New Suborbital Payloads, Total Tops 100 Experiments (2013-06-09)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]
Rocket Dungeon: Micro- and Mini-Hybrid's soon to be available (2013-06-20)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]
High Power Rocketry: Excalibur lb Environmental Testing (2013-07-29)"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]
Model Rocket Building: New Quest/Klima Engines are Closer! (2013-08-17)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]
Rocket Dungeon: New hypersonic space plane and precision munitions proficiency (2013-09-18)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]
PayloadBay.com: Testing the Phantom 2 Vision “Control Signal Lost” Altitude Issues (2013-12-22)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]
Wayne Hill's Blog: Does F9 get it's landing legs? (2014-02-04)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]
Rocket Dungeon: 1990's futurism and a simple rocket tip (2014-02-09)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]
Model Rocket Building: Fixing My Estes LED Electron Beam Controller Part 1 (2014-05-15)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]
Waterloo Rocketry Team: Recovery Testing and More (2014-05-25)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]
Rocket Dungeon: Terror in the Sky Airfest (updated with a discussion of tolerances in design) (2014-07-23)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]
Waterloo Rocketry Team: Plans for Future (2014-08-06)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]
Model Rocket Building: Parachute Descent Rate Calculators (2014-08-23)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]
Randy's Rocketry Blog: Unrestricted Motor (2014-09-05)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]
Randy's Rocketry Blog: Dextrose (2014-09-10)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]
Randy's Rocketry Blog: TR-1 Cato (2014-09-22)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]
Randy's Rocketry Blog: Dextrose Testing (2014-09-29)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]
Model Rocket Building: Estes Altimeter (2014-10-17)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]
Randy's Rocketry Blog: Dextrose (2014-10-18)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]
Odd'l Rockets: SPUDNIK! (2014-10-20)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]
Odd'l Rockets: SPUDNIK Flight Testing (2014-10-22)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]
Randy's Rocketry Blog: Propellant testing (Dextrose, Sorbitol, Erythritol) (2014-10-24)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]
Rocket Dungeon: New solid propellant separates the fuel from the oxidizer (2014-10-24)"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]
Model Rocket Building: Red Launch Button (2014-11-19)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]
Model Rocket Building: Quest Response to Out Of Stock (2014-11-25)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]
Odd'l Rockets: Whatever Happened To . . . The Wedgie? (2015-01-01)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]
Model Rocket Building: New Products Reply From Estes John Boren (2015-01-24)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]
Odd'l Rockets: 2014 New Products (2015-02-05)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]
Rocket Dungeon: B-58 Hustler on a rocket... (2015-03-19)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]
Model Rocket Building: A TRF Opinion Post About California (2015-03-22)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]
High Power Rocketry: Testing a flamethrower (2015-03-23)[Read More]
Bayourat Aerospace Blog: Fourth X-37B Spaceplane To Launch With An Advanced NASA Materials Science Experiment (2015-05-18)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]
Model Rocket Building: Making a Stable Model Rocket, String Testing (2015-06-10)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]
Wayne Hill's Blog: CRS-7 INVESTIGATION UPDATE (2015-07-20)“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]
Wayne Hill's Blog: The Black Merlin (2015-08-18)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]
Rocket N00b: Estes Pro Series II - Ventris (Decisions) (2015-08-24)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]
Model Rocket Building: Simple Dual Deploy for LPR and MPR Rockets? (2015-09-19)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]
Odd'l Rockets: Odd'l Parachute on TRF (2015-10-14)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]
Rocket Dungeon: Rainy day ekranoplan thoughts (2015-12-02)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]
Rocket N00b: Playing With the Flight Simulation (2016-04-04)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]
Odd'l Rockets: New / Old Kit Prototype (2016-04-19)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]
Rocket N00b: The Future Experiment (2016-05-27)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]
Rocket Dungeon: Launch Report 2016-4 (solo) (2016-06-09)Location: solo Weather: High 70's, sunny, wind ~5-15 Total flights: Today - 6; YTD - 38 Total motors: Today - 6; YTD - 38 Motors by class YTD: MMX-1, 1/2A-2, A-6, B-2, C-14, D-3, E-5, F-3, G-2 Well ... [Read More]
Rocket N00b: Testing the Indoor Spray Painting Booth (2017-07-01)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]
Improbable Ventures: Video: rocket ground testing for electronics bay (2020-02-28)[Read More]
Improbable Ventures: Rocket ground testing for electronics bay (2020-03-03)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]
Beyond Blue Aerospace: Spark Gap Igniter Testing – May 20, 2020 (2020-05-21)One question that we keep getting asked is “can this spark gap igniter be used with composite propellant engines?”. With the addition… [Read More]
Rocketeer's Corner: Breaking news from the rocket vendors! (Part 2) (2020-07-29)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]
Improbable Ventures: How to build a fiberglass rocket, part 14: ground testing (2020-07-31)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]
Thrifty Rocketeer: First Flights (2020-08-15)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]
High Power Rocketry: Testing space reactors against various accidents and failure modes (2020-11-30)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]
Blast From The Past: 2022 Binge Build, Part 7 - Update (2022-11-09)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]
Blast From The Past: More Progress On The Deltie AirSLOW... (2023-04-29)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]
Sponsored Ads
 |
 |