First look at Firefly…

Jan01
by cgould on January 1, 2011 at 6:13 AM
Posted In: XR5 (Aurora) Medium Power Booster

(January 1, 2011  Cuyahoga Falls, Oh)

Aurora X5 booster “Firefly” is a few steps closer to completion with the completion of its airframe, launch pad support, and its main coat of paint.

Firefly before its coat of primer & paint

Firefly after the main coat of paint has been applied.

Firefly on the workbench getting its final cosmetic touches...

The firefly is sporting a change in the paint scheme for the Aurora boosters, which consists of a silver band at the top of the booster stage.   Omnia has that same scheme as well.  The Firefly differs as it has a black band at the base of the recovery stage (which butts against the top of the booster).

Those touches were finished on the workbench just as 2011 was ringing in.  Our first new rocket of 2011 was christened mere minutes after the new year began!

Other design features of the Firefly.

– Modified motor mount system to allow use of the Aerotech F35W motor.

– A multi-stage ejection baffle system consisting of a half-moon disc system as well as a variation on the traditional side-fire scheme used in all our boosters since the Artemis X2 booster series.  Perseus X4 booster Eagle has such a system, and it has proven itself to be very effective.

– Anti-Zippering design.  The recovery system is no longer deployed from the base of the nose-cone.  The entire section forward of the booster section separates, uncovering the parachute and recovery harness.   The mount point on the booster is open and free to allow for a wide variety of play without coming in contact with the airframe.

– Firefly introduces the traditional construction of a “Fin Can” to the Aurora X5 booster line.

Firefly’s first flight is penciled in for February 15th.

((( )))

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Possible bonus flights in January

Dec31
by cgould on December 31, 2010 at 12:34 AM
Posted In: XR4 (Perseus) Medium Power Booster project

(Dec. 30, 2010 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH)

There might be an opportunity for some launches this coming January 15th 2010 — weather and life permitting!

If so, there are two missions under consideration.

One is a “redo” of the high performance / high altitude attempt with the Perseus X4 Booster, Columbia.   The goal will be to see how close to the 2,000 foot mark we can get.   To do this, Columbia will be flying light and lean.  No cameras or payloads will be onboard besides our light weight altimeter.

X4 - Columbia being prepped for a possible high altitude / high performance mission...

The second mission will be a general test of our standard recovery system in winter weather using one of the X2 Artemis boosters.  We had a number of elastic shock cord failures while in Dayton during TORC Fest, and the possible series of tests will be to see if these failures were due to the cold temperatures.   These failures have lead to the use of Kevlar shock cords, which are not as forgiving to the rocket airframes under less than ideal parachute deployments.   The results of the tests will determine the direction to use in future launches.

More information later!

((( )))

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New Rockets For 2011

Dec27
by cgould on December 27, 2010 at 11:49 PM
Posted In: Current (Active) Projects

(December 27, 2010 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH)

The first half of 2011 will see the introduction of two new rockets in the CPG Aeronautics fleet.   X5-02 “Firefly” should see service by February 15.  There is a chance we may even have a maiden voyage of Firefly by mid January.

Another rocket project has begun.  Our first high power booster designated as Booster X6.  The X6 will stand about 5 1/2 feet tall, and will be capable of reaching heights of 3,000 feet.  This rocket will be built and used as the NAR level 1 certification attempt for Cornelius, and it is expected to be done by no later than May 2011.

The mid power booster missions planned between now and then are all aimed at testing various aspects of technology needed for the level 1 certification launch.   All of the launches from October through December 2010 were involved in testing on-board camera systems and other avionics to be used in the X6 booster, as well as all future launches.

The next big tests for our active mid power booster fleet will involve testing the responsiveness of our dual deployment electronic systems.

We will be choosing a project name for the X6 booster in the next few months.  We are still going through a list of candidate names as we file this report.

Our next report will be in the first week of January with a status report on the next launch (and the first for 2011).

(((  )))

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Artemis X2 2010 Flight Log.

Dec27
by cgould on December 27, 2010 at 10:26 PM
Posted In: General News, XR2 (Artemis) Medium power booster Project
Artemis Launch Vehicle 2010 Flight Log
Booster #1 – Big Red – First One Built DL – Dusk Launch
Booster #2 – Yellow – Third One Built NL – Night Launch
Booster #3 – Orange – Second One Built (L) Lost
Booster #4 – Black / Red – Fourth One Built
Date Mission Vehicle Mission Notes Engine Location Results Max Altitude
March 27, 2010 ALS 001 Artemis 1B / 01 Flight Test Estes D-12 3 Harmon Good – early dep 650 Ft
March 27, 2010 ALS 002 Artemis 1B / 01 Flight Test Estes D-12 3 Harmon Good – Early Dep 650 Ft
March 27, 2010 ALS 003 Artemis 1B / 01 Flight Test Estes D-12 5 Harmon Good 750 Ft
March 27, 2010 ALS 004 Artemis 1B / 01 Flight Test Estes D-12 5 Harmon Good 750 Ft.
May 15, 2010 ALS 005 Artemis 1B / 03 Flight Test Estes D-12 5 Amherst Good 750 Ft.
May 15, 2010 ALS 006 Artemis 1B / 03 Flight Test Estes D-12 5 Amherst Good 750 Ft.
May 15, 2010 ALS 007 Artemis 1E / 03 Flight Test Estes D-12 5 Amherst Excellent 750 Ft.
May 15, 2010 ALS 008 Artemis V / 02 Flight Test Estes D-12 5 Amherst Excellent 700 Ft
May 15, 2010 ALS 009 Artemis V / 02 Flight Test Estes E9-6 Amherst Excellent 900 – 950 Ft.
May 15, 2010 ALS 010 Artemis V / 02 Flight Test Estes E9-6 Amherst Excellent 900 – 950 Ft.
May 15, 2010 ALS 011 Artemis 1E / 03 Mission 1 Estes E9-6 Amherst Excellent 845 Ft.
May 15, 2010 ALS 012 Artemis 1E / 03 Mission 2 Estes E9-6 Amherst Excellent 950 Ft.
May 23, 2010 ALS013 Artemis V / 03 Mission 1 Estes E9-6 Amherst Great 800 Ft.
May 23, 2010 ALS014 Artemis 1E / 01 Mission 1 Estes E9-6 Amherst Excellent 850 Feet
May 23, 2010 ALS015 Artemis V / 03 Mission 2 Estes E9-6 Amherst liftoff good / brokn shock cord 850 Feet
May 23, 2010 ALS016 Artemis 1E / 03 Mission 4 Estes F 12-5 J Amherst Excellent 1700 Feet
June 12, 2010 ALS017A Artemis 1E /02 Mission 3 Estes D12-5 Harmon – Test Flight – 500 Feet
June 12, 2010 ALS017B Artemis 1E / 02 Mission 4 Estes E9-6 Harmon Excellent 850 Feet
June 12, 2010 ALS018A Artemis 1E / 04 Mission 1 Estes E9-6 Harmon Excellent 1000 Feet
June 12, 2010 ALS018B Artemis 1E /04 Mission 2 Estes E9-6 Harmon Excellent 1000 Feet
June 18, 2010 ALS019 Artemis 1E / 04 Mission 3 Estes E9-6 Streetsboro Excellent 1000 Ft.
June 18, 2010 ALS020 Artemis 1E / 04 Mission 4 Estes E9-6 Streetsboro Excellent 850 Ft
June 18, 2010 ALS021 Artemis 1E / 02 Mission 5 Estes E9-6 Streetsboro Excellent 900 Ft / DL
June 26, 2010 ALS022 Artemis V / 02 Mission 6 Estes E9-6 Harmon Excellent 1000 Feet
June 26, 2010 ALS023 Artemis V / 02 Mission 7 Estes E9-6 Harmon Excellent 900 Feet
July 3, 2010 ALS024(L) Artemis 1B / 01 Mission 2 Estes D12-5 Pichman’s Excellent / lost 650 Ft / DL
July 10, 2010 ALS025 Artemis 1E Mission 5 E15-7 Harmon Excellent 1350 Ft
July 10, 2010 ALS026 Artemis V /02 Mission 8 E9-6 Harmon Excellent 800 Ft.
July 10, 2010 ALS027 Artemis 1E Mission 6 E15-7 Harmon Excellent 1350 Ft.
July 10, 2010 ALS028 Artemis V /02 Mission 9 E9-6 Harmon Excellent 800 Ft.
July 25, 2010 ALS029 Artemis 1E Mission 7 E9-6 Harmon Excellent 800 Ft
July 25, 2010 ALS030 Artemis 1E Mission 8 E9-6 Harmon Excellent 800 Ft
July 25, 2010 ALS031 Artemis 1E Mission 10 E9-6 Harmon Excellent 800 Ft
July 25, 2010 ALS032 Artemis 1E Mission 11 E9-6 Harmon Excellent 800 Ft



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Perseus X4 2010 mission log

Dec18
by cgould on December 18, 2010 at 5:19 AM
Posted In: General News, XR4 (Perseus) Medium Power Booster project
X4 Booster
Flight Log
X4-01 – Eagle
X4-02 – Columbia
X4-03 – Zephyr
X4-04 – (Ground
Test Mockup)
Date Mission Vehicle Mission Notes Engine Location
August 14,
2010		 PLS-01 X4-01 Maiden Voyage D12-5 Harmon
August 14,
2010		 PLS-02 X4-02 Maiden Voyage D12-5 Harmon
August 14,
2010		 PLS-03 X4-02 Flight Tests D12-5 Harmon
August 14,
2010		 PLS-04 X4-02 Flight Tests E9-6 Harmon
August 14,
2010		 PLS-05 X4-02 Flight Tests D12-5 Harmon
August 28,
2010		 PLS-06 X4-02 Payload Section Tests E9-6 Harmon
August 28,
2010		 PLS-07 X4-02 Payload Section Tests E15-7 Harmon
August 28,
2010		 PLS-08 X4-02 Payload Section Tests E9-6 Harmon
August 28,
2010		 PLS-09 X4-02 Payload Section Tests E9-6 Harmon
September
10, 2010		 PLS-10 X4-02 Payload Test D-12-5 Harmon
PLS-11 X4-03 DDM test E-15 Harmon
PLS-12 X4-03 DDM test E9-6 Harmon
September
11, 2010		 PLS-13 X4-01 D12-5 Harmon
PLS-14 X4-01 E9-6 Harmon
October 9,
2010		 PLS-15 X4-01 Camera E9-6 Harmon
PLS-16 X4-01 Camera E9-6 Harmon
  PLS-17 X4-01 Camea E9-6 Harmon
PLS-18 X4-02 Camera D-12-5 Harmon
PLS-19 X4-02 Camera D-12-5 Harmon
October
23, 2010		 PLS-20 X4-02 Payload / Alt1 D12-5 Harmon
PLS-21 X4-02 Camera / Alt1 D12-5 Harmon
November
6, 2010		 PLS-22 X4-03 SM Camera E9-6 Dayton
PLS-23 X4-03 SM Camera E9-6 Dayton
PLS-24 X4-02 Camera E18-7 Dayton
PLS-25 X4-02 Camera E18-4 Dayton
November
7, 2010		 PLS-26 X4-01 Camera E18-7 Dayton
PLS-27 X4-01 Camera F24-7 Dayton
PLS-28 X4-02 Camera F24-7 Dayton
December
11, 2010		 PLS-29 X4-01 SM Camera E9-6 Harmon
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