Moon Farside Explorer Post 1010
Lockheed Martin Exploring Program
Launch - December 28, 2013
LADEE Spacecraft

Project Home

On Saturday, December 28, five members from two teams traveled to the Maryland launch site to practice launches. It was a nice sunny day, about 50f, and wind below 8mph. We used the 7ft launch rail, set to about 5d with the wind.

We completed four launches during a 2 hour launch window. We recovered all the rockets, although some landed close to the pond.

Objectives

  • Try two launches for each team to narrow the best weight with the motors:
      Team 14211 - single use motor F30-6FJ
      Team 14212 - reloadable motor E28-7T
  • Practice assembling reloadable Aerotech motor E28-7T
  Green Rocket   Blue Rocket

Lessons

  • All the launches were relatively straight, all rockets were recovered, and the teams worked well together. We need to get the other two teams out to a launch.
  • We had no igniter failures, no spitting, good ignitions.
  • The chute configurations worked OK, but the blue rocket (Team 14211) seemed to have some tangled chutes. It came down too fast. They need to make the line between the booster and cargo longer, more distance between chutes, and perhaps use the new chutes. The green rocket (Team 14212) seemed to have a better deployment. Their last flight had the chutes float a bit too much. It may have been the thermals from the sun warming up the field.
  • All the motors worked OK, even the ones that were assembled. We have enough data to set target weights for both teams.
  • Both teams are ready to try a qualification launch. Team 14212's second launch had a TARC score of 7.

Launches

Rocket Engine Rail Cargo Recovery Weight Results Comments
Blue flight 1
Team 14211
F30-6FJ 7ft 5d 2 eggs,
altimeter 5
2-15" Round 497g 782ft,
42sec
video, Straight flight, chutes deployed OK
Blue flight 2
Team 14211
F30-6FJ 7ft 5d 2 eggs,
altimeter 5
2-15" Round 469g 858ft,
42sec
video, Straight flight, chutes deployed a little tight
Green flight 1
Team 14212
E28-7T 7ft 5d 2 wood eggs,
altimeter 3
2-15" Round 416g 785ft,
44ec
video, Straight flight, a little low
Green flight 2
Team 14212
E28-7T 7ft 5d 2 wood eggs,
altimeter 3
2-15" Round 415g 826ft,
52sec
video, Straight flight, chutes floated some

Altimeter Data (Excel format)
Altimeter Data Chart

Pictures

  Team 14211                                                                                 Team 14212
  Blue Rocket Team     Green Rocket Team

  Preparing the Rockets
  Getting Ready     Getting Ready

  Loading the Rockets
  Loading Rocket     Loading Rocket

Copyright 2013 Explorer Post 1010
Updated: December 29, 2013