Lockheed Martin Exploring Program
Team America Rocketry Challenge
Launch April 1, 2006


It was rather windy day with gusts close to 20mph, but we had some great flights. The big problem was the rockets were landing almost 2000 feet away!

We launched six times, two test launches, and two qualification launches for both teams. Both teams had successful qualification scores. Team 1, 4222, BT80, got one score of 9. Team 2, 4228, BT70, got scores of 71 and 272.

I suspect team 4222 will be invited to the national competition on May 20. Team 4228 is on the bubble, and may not get invited, but they can be proud of a successful qualification flight.

Congratulations to all the members who worked hard on this project.  And thanks to all the parents for using up a Saturday and driving to the launch sites.

  • No rain, no freezing hands.
  • We recovered all altimeters and downloaded six altimeter data sets.
  • Operations went very smoothly, the teams worked well together.

Lessons

  • We compensated for the wind, even over compensated on the last flight. Two flights were over 800 feet in the 15mph wind.
  • When we know the rockets will land far away, we need to get runners out there to speed the recovery.  Sometimes our recovery took almost 15 minutes and that put a stress on the altimeter battery.
  • The separate recovery mechanisms proved to be a good design.  The eggs came down OK and we didn't need a shock cord.
  • We used a coat over the computer and Bob's head -- solved the computer screen brightness issue.

Our TARC Rockets

Rocket Engine/
Weight
Cargo/
Chutes
Recovery Results
BT80-1
Test Launch
Video
Score: 102 DQ
E9-8
 
Egg, Altimeter,
Chute1-14in w/spill,
Chute2-18in engine
Chute protector
Chutes opened, egg broke, otherwise vertical flight Height: 706ft altimeter
Time: 37sec altimeter
Altimeter Data
BT70-2
Test Launch
Video

Score: 89
E9-8
 
Egg, Altimeter,
Chute-14in w/spill
Streamer for engine
Chute opened, good vertical flight Height: 879ft altimeter
Time: 55sec altimeter
Altimeter Data
BT80-1
4222 Qualification 1
Video
Score: 9
E9-6
 
Egg, Altimeter,
Chute1-14in w/s,
Chute2-18in engine
Chute protector
Chutes opened, good vertical flight Height: 794ft altimeter
Time: 46sec altimeter
         48sec timers
 Altimeter Data
BT70-2
4228 Qualification 1
Video

Score: 272
E9-4
 
Egg, Altimeter,
Chute-14in w/spill
Streamer for engine
Chute opened, flight into wind, strange altimeter readings Height: 536ft altimeter
Time: 49sec altimeter
         53sec timers
Altimeter Data
BT70-1
4222 Qualification 2
Video

Score: 83 DQ
E9-6
 
Egg, Altimeter,
Chute-12in
Chute opened, but shock cord broke out of engine unit, lost engine unit, and the egg broke Height: 873ft altimeter
Time: 55sec altimeter
Altimeter Data
BT80-2
4228 Qualification 2
Video

Score: 71
E9-6
 
Egg, Altimeter,
Chute-18in,
Chute protector
Chute opened, flight with the wind, otherwise good Height: 740ft altimeter
Time: 54sec altimeter
         56sec timers
Altimeter Data

Pictures

Checking in
BT80-1 getting ready
BT70-1 getting ready
BT80-2 getting ready - last flight

Updated: April 5, 2006