Launch Test 95

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With the last test (Launch Test 94) leaving a bad taste in my mouth, and the weather forecast calling for a week of bad weather, I decided to try to get another flight in on the same day. It was nearly 2 p.m. when I decided to try anther flight, and I needed to cast more propellant before I could fly again. So I went about casting the propellant and prepping the rocket. I added length to the recovery harness, almost doubling the length as I believed the cause of the drogue tangle was not enough length on the shock cord, leading to a snap back of the nose cone and piston. By about 5 p.m. I was ready to fly again, Bill showed up just on chance and went with me again.

We got the pad and controller set up, the rocket was locked in the upright position and the timer module turned on. But, for some reason I couldn't get the magnetic switch to open the circuit. I suppose the hard landing on the last flight damaged the magnetic reed switch. So I turned the timer module off, now I had a decision to make, "Should I fly with just the altimeter?", it has proven itself in three flights. If you know me yet, you know the answer. Yep, let's fly her.

So I powered up the altimeter and Bill and I took our positions at the controller. This time we switched cameras, Bill used the still camera and I used the video camera.

All clear, 5,4,3,2,1 and ignition. A little smaller load in the motor this time, so liftoff was a little more laid back.

Liftoff!

We watched as the rocket coasted to apogee. Bill, being the nervous type, always expecting the worst, announced, "it's coming in ballistic" just as the drogue deployed. Actually, it was perfect apogee deployment. Just as I had programed the Basic Stamp to do, it deployed just after apogee. We watched as the rocket came in quickly under the fully deployed drogue.

Here is the rocket coming in under the drogue.

Here is the moment the main chute appears.

Here you can see the main now extended out of the rocket body tube.

Now the main opens fully and drifts slowly to the ground.

Here's a picture from the still camera.

Here's the landing site. Notice the van in the background, no long walks this time.

Once home I downloaded the data from the altimeter:

Ground Level: 3135 data values= 95.597 kPa= 0'

Max Altitude: 2915 data value= 89.657 kPa= 1,848'

Main Deploy: 3072 data value= 93.888 kPa= 519'

Click Here for a Divix AVI of the entire flight. (1.67 MB)

Click Here for a standard avi of the main deployment. (757 KB)

This was the 10th flight of this rocket without any repairs, boy, that's got to be a record for me! Let it rain for a week, I'm a happy camper!