Ten members (at least two from each TARC team) traveled to the Maryland launch site on Wednesday, December 30, to practice the launch process, test various motors, and experiment with new cargo units and streamer recovery.  It was a cold partly cloudy day, but with very little wind.  We used both launch rails and had seven total launches with four different boosters. We recovered all our rockets and didn't break any eggs.  A good day, considering all the bad weather we have been having. Ted Makowski flew his "bat" rocket with a B6-4 motor.  It was stable but needed a bigger motor.  The fins were made with a computer guided milling machine at Watkins Mill High School.  It could fly again. Videos: Get Ready, Bat Rocket Objectives Introduce new members to the launch process, including the launch rails. Launch our recently built cargo units. Experiment with different placements of eggs, altimeters, and streamers. Try a recovery with the booster attached. Have new members learn how to assemble F24-4W motors. Check out the performance of the new E32-4T with a rocket over 500g. Lessons We need to learn to put the igniters in better.  We might want to use more First Fires. Two 7x70in unmodified streamers don't create enough drag.  The stick in the leading edge helps but we need to use a tighter fan folding. If you use the F24-4W, you need to get the total weight up to 480g. If you use the F32-4T, you need to weigh over 600g. If you use the E30-4T, you need to get your weight down to 380g. We need to work on techniques to incrementally add weight to the middle of the rocket (perhaps in the booster).  You may try a heavy chute protector. If you are trying to separate the two streamers with the cargo unit, the center of gravity needs to be in-between the two streamers connection points. We need to watch the insertion of the streamers so they don't get tangled.

Suggested Tasks

• Team 8186:  You need to rebuild your booster.  It is never going to straighten out.  The cargo unit worked great - you seem to have the right balance to separate both streamers - just a little more drag and higher altitude and you get a great score.
   
• Team 8188:  You need to rework your altimeter holder. You need something to separate your streamers, and you need to figure out how to create much more drag. You may want to try a yoke between the two. The egg wrapping in the nose cone worked fine.
   
• Team 8189:  Flight characteristics are nice for both E30 and F24.  You need to drop a few grams for the E30, or add 60 grams for the F24.  You need to protect your streamers more from the ejection charges.  You need to remake your altimeter holder, perhaps put the egg under the altimeter.  You need to figure out how to create more drag on your cargo unit.  You may want to try fins on the cargo unit.
   
• Team 8296:  I think you need to add weight to the booster, not the nose cone.  You may want to try fins on the cargo unit.  You may want to move the egg under the altimeter to create a better separation of the streamers.  You may want to try an F39-xT.  If you stay with the F32, we need to order more.

Launches

Altimeter Data (Excel format)

Pictures