2012 3-3 FAR Activities: Sugar motors, Recovery ejection test and a CATO (2012-03-15)

Paul Avery static tested three 38mm single use sugar motors, all successful. Hal Duffy did the first test of the drogue chute piston ejection as part of the recovery system being designed for the Genesis liquid propellant rocket project. Next time we plan on installing the drogue chute and related tether and attachment hardware. The first static motor test of the dual phase solid ZnS-Sugar KNO3 propellant was done as a 'proof of concept' test. Motor suffered a major anomaly as it CATOed shortly after ignition as seen in the high speed video of the motor test. Discussion of the anomaly has resulted in several design changes for the next motor. Fortunately, only minor damage was done to the motor hardware and repair has will be completed in time for the next test.

4-25-2010 MiniSShot Flight videocam #2 (2011-09-28)

First Flight of the MiniSShot rocket, part of the Sugar Shot to Space project at 10:00 am on April 25, 2010 at the FAR site in the California Mojave Desert. First motor ignition at 2:21 in the video followed by the the motor delay at 2:26. At 2:45 in the video you can hear the relight of the motor quickly followed at 2:46 by the CATO or break up of the Aft motor casing and subsequient detachment of the forward avionics/payload section and nosecone (safely deployed on main for the recovery). Aft end of motor, nozzle and fin can recovered intact after free fall of several thousand feet. For complete flight from video cam #1 go to: www.youtube.com For more information go to sugarshot.org We wish to thank everyone that helped support the project. I would also like to personnally thank "Dok" Hanson that made this launch possible, thanks Dok.

DoubleSShot BPS rocket motor test (2012-06-27)

Static test of the Aft section of the DoubleSShot BPS rocket motor on May 5th, 2012 at the Friends of Amateur Rocketry site in the Mojave Desert of California. Approximately 85 pounds (38 kg) of KNO3/sorbitol propellant in six 6" seven point star grains.

FAR rocket testing hybrid and sugar motors (2011-08-31)

Hybrid and sugar rocket motors tested at the FAR facilities, Mojave Desert, California, 12-04-2010

GLXP Team Selene Spin Stabilization Competition winning flight (2011-09-02)

After several attempts in the past two weeks I was finally able to launch a finless rocket clearly over 500 meters using launch and recovery GPS coordinates (740 meters). The rocket was powered by 65% KNO3 and 35% sugar (sobitol), the same fomulation used in the Sugar Shot to Space project. The propellant was case bonded to the EMT steel motor casing, nose cone was turned from wood. I wish to thank Google Lunar X-Prize Team Selene for sponsoring this competition.

Jeff Jakob 4" hybrid rocket motor test 12-04-2010 (2011-08-30)

Video of jeff Jakob's 4" hybrid rocket motor test at the Friends of Amateur Rocketry (FAR) site in the Mojave Desert of California. Rocket used HTPB for fuel and nitrous oxide for the oxidizer.

Kosdon Ex Rocket Launch 04-17-2010 (2011-07-09)

April EX Event by Frank Kosdon. Just a few of the many rockets launched.

LDRS 29 'Odd Rocket' (2011-06-22)

This was my entry in the LDRS 29 "Odd Rocket" competition including slow motion. The 'rocket' was found along the road on my way home from the previous month's rocket launch.

LDRS 29 NIKE SMOKE Flights: Sugar vs Aerotech (2012-06-29)

Two flights at the 2010 LDRS-29 event. The first one was a sugar powered K-motor (estimated cost $8) and the second an Aerotech K-540 AP/Composite motor ($110). The three grain one inch core 75mm sugar motor was comparable to the four grain 54mm Aerotech motor in performance.

LDRS 29 Second Squat Drag Race..."Unofficial Video" (2011-08-30)

Only about half of the Squats ignited the first time. This video is dedicated to those that tried again.

Masten Space Systems Lunar Lander Challenge Xombie 3-20-2010 (2011-09-29)

Flight of Masten Space Systems' "Xombie" Lunar Lander Challenge Project flight on Saturday, March 20, 2010 at the Friends of Amateur Rocketry (FAR) test site in the Mojave Desert, California.

MiniSShot Flight 4-25-2010 (2011-06-22)

First flight of the MiniSShot rocket in the Sugar Shot to Space project. Sound of motor CATO or break up at 1:03.

MiniSShot flight videos in Sugar Shot to Space project April 2010 (2011-09-22)

Three videos of the April 25 2010 MiniSShot flight in the Sugar Shot to Space program. First burn was successful but the aft motor casing split during the firing of the forward motor.

Rocket motor testing, flights, and construction work 4-2-2011 (2011-06-22)

This is a video of some of the new concrete pads poured, static motor and flight tests conducted at the Friends of Amateur Rocketry site in the Mojave Desert of California on April 2, 2011. Apologies to those left out of the video as I was helping with the concrete work and one of the rocket projects.

RocStock XXX (2011-06-28)

Many of the rockets launched during the semi-annual RocStock event. These were a few from Saturday's launching, November 14. Thanks go to the Rocketry Organization of California that makes events like this possible and to all those young and old rocketeers reaching for the final frontier.

Separation of solid rocket boosters using exploding bolts on HPR (2011-06-28)

Demonstration of using explosive bolts for the separation of solid rocket boosters (SRB) by Richard Dierking on high power rockets at the December 2010 monthly meeting of the Rocketry Organization of California on Lucerne Valley Dry Lake, Mojave Desert, California. Unfortunately, I didn't get any video of the flight. It worked perfectly with all four boosters igniting as planned but also falling away together. Excellent job Richard.I know I'll be doing this sometime soon.

SS2S Star Unigrain normal & 210 fps (2011-09-05)

Second test of our 7-point 2-segment 3" diameter Star unigrain KNO3/sorbitol propellant. Nozzle used was sized for a 4 segment motor (normally would be burning at 600 psi chamber pressure).

SS2S Star Unigrain sugar motor (2011-09-05)

Second static test of a 2-segment star unigrain KNO3/sorbitol rocket motor. Nozzle is sized for a 4-segment unigrain propellant for a larger motor casing. DISCLAIMER: No nitrous oxide was used in this sugar rocket motor test. Jeff Jakob thought it did but was mistaken because of its tremendous power.

Sugar Shot to Space DoubleSShot BP static test video cam #5 (2011-11-19)

This was the first test of the DoubleSShot motor in the Sugar Shot to Space project. The motor contained 160+ pounds of sugar/KNO3 rocket propellant with over 2000 pounds of thrust, making it the world's largest sugar fueled rocket motor. Cause of the anomaly (the motor CATO) is under investigation.

Sugar Shot to Space second 2-segment star unigrain propellant test (2011-09-05)

This is the second test of the 3" diameter seven point Star 2-segment unigrain. This was tested in Randy Dorman's short motor casing with his nozzle throat sized for a four grain Bates configuration (hence the relatively low chamber pressure.

Tower Launch Pad Test for MiniSShot (2011-10-09)

This was a test for the Sugar Shot to Space project of the tower rocket launcher at the Freinds of Amateur Rocketry's test site for our upcoming MiniSShot flight test. The tower performed beautifly

Tripoli LDRS 29 odd rocket competition "My Spare Rocket" (2011-06-22)

I built this rocket for the Discovery Odd Rocket competition. It started with a much larger motor but I was trying to go to 100' to win the contest and went with a "H" motor that proved too small. It is now "reTIRED" and serves as a test stand and tripod.

ZnS Sugar Propellant rocket motor test 3-3-2012 (2012-03-15)

Our first 'proof of concept' static motor test of the dual phase zinc sulfur / sugar propellant. A one pound hollow hexagonal core of hot cast zinc sulfur was then used as the core for three pounds of sugar propellant. The 3" steel motor casing was 1/8" thick with a steel nozzle having a 1/2" throat and approximately 18" long. An aluminum bulkhead was used with a protective coating of red RTV applied to the interior surface. A Futek load cell was used for measuring thrust that was destroyed in the motor CATO. All motor parts are reusable, the only damage was the shearing of the steel bolts securing the bulkhead. Thses bolts studs can be removed or new holes redrikked and tapped.