December 11 launches all a success…

Dec14
by cgould on December 14, 2010 at 4:40 PM
Posted In: Current (Active) Projects, Uncategorized, XR4 (Perseus) Medium Power Booster project, XR5 (Aurora) Medium Power Booster

(Ray Harmon flying field – Aurora, OH.  Dec. 11, 2010)

Aurora X5 Omnia, and Perseus X4 “Eagle” had successful flights this past Saturday (Dec. 11).

Omnia’s first mission of the day was a flight test of a night launch beacon system.  The purpose was to fly the first of three daytime flight tests to ensure our lighting electronics systems can survive the rigors of model rocket flight dynamics & stresses.

Aurora X5 Omnia lifting off on mission AU-08, carying the night lighting system for a daytime flight test...

This flight test was launched using the Estes E9-6 motor, and was successful.  All of the associated electronics performed as expected.

The next flight test for this night time lighting system is penciled in for sometime in March 2011.

The Aurora X5 Omnia was launched a second time.  In this second launch, Omnia was carrying the good ‘ol rocket camera to capture aerial video of the Harmon field in the winter from 1158 feet.  This flight was on the Aerotech F24 motor…our highest power flight from this field!

Aurora X5 Omnia liftoff - starting mission AU-09 on the Aerotech F24

Aurora X5 Omnia climbing to the sky...

Mission underway!

Aurora Omnia X5 with a view from 1100 feet over Harmon Flying field!

Perseus X4 Eagle made the last launch of the day with the second flight test of the booster mounted rocket camera.  Its flight was also successful, and lots of useful data was obtained…as well as neat video!   One important piece of information gained from this flight is the need to fly with shorter delays when using the longer configuration for the rocket on E9 motors!  We had a small zipper on the parachute bay as a result of an approximately 2 extra seconds of freefall after reaching apogee before parachutes were deployed.

Perseus X4 "Eagle" flying the side mounted camera in mission PLS-29.

Our next planned launch is scheduled for sometime in February.  On the agenda for that day will be the maiden voyage of the Aurora X5 “Firefly”.

The Firefly’s first mission of that day will be a flight test launch.  The next mission for “Firefly” is planed be to test the responsiveness of our dual deploy recovery system electronics.  This involves powering up the dual deployment system, and having it activate buzzers at apogee and at the programmed altitude to deploy the main recovery parachute.    This information will be added to other flight data, and it will assist us in the design of our first mid power dual deployment system.

Aurora X5 booster "Firefly" under construction...

The first dual deployment flight is set to happen sometime in the late winter / early spring.

We will have more news on our rocket programs and missions to post soon!

((( )))

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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-12-12

Dec12
by admin on December 12, 2010 at 2:45 AM
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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-12-12

Dec12
by admin on December 12, 2010 at 2:45 AM
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Dec06
by cgould on December 6, 2010 at 4:01 AM
Posted In: Current (Active) Projects

(December 5, 2010 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH)

The Perseus X4 and Aurora X5 boosters are just about ready for their next missions.  Aurora Booster “Omnia” has been readied for its planned December 11th mission to test out a night flasher / lighting system under flight conditions.   We will NOT be launching at night, but testing to verify that the electronics can survive the forces associated with launch & recovery conditions.

There is one more scheduled flight test of the system before we clear it for our first night launch sometime in the summer of 2011.

Speaking of the Aurora X5 booster, Aurora X5 booster # 002 is under construction.   As of right now, it has no name.  The construction is slightly different from X5 booster #1 (Omnia).   One of the changes will allow us to fly Aerotech F35 motors.   This should give the ability to reach an altitude of nearly 2,000 Feet.

Aurora X5 booster #002 after fins have been released from the fin setting jig.

Perseus booster “Eagle” is also ready for flight to test a side mounted camera system on December 11, 2010.   The plan is to fly on an Aerotech F-24 motor over Harmon Field – weather & winds permitting.

Artemis booster “Garfield” is in standby to test some “Anti-Zippering” options.   We are actually considering using a modified Estes Tomahawk kit for these tests as well.  We will make a decision by Wednesday.

Looking ahead, the next launch for us will be in Feburary 2011 when we flight test our dual deployment altimeter system using the new Aurora X5 booster.  No dual deployment flights are planned, only a dry run to test the responsiveness of the avionics during the various stages of flight.  This will be done by installing buzzers in place of the igniters that will be used to deploy the parachutes.  The on-board camera will be used to record not only the position of the booster during the events, but to also capture the sounds of the buzzers at these moments.

This data will be studied, and used to plan our first high altitude dual deployment with X5-02 booster using the F35 motor in spring 2011 at the Skybusters Amherst field.

Lots of other exciting things to come!  Stay tuned!

((( )))

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Finally – High power launches for Project Perseus

Nov26
by cgould on November 26, 2010 at 2:21 AM
Posted In: Current (Active) Projects, XR4 (Perseus) Medium Power Booster project, XR5 (Aurora) Medium Power Booster

(November 6 – 7, 2010 – Springfield, OH)

The Perseus X4 boosters “Columbia” and “Eagle” flew majestically on high power flights at the Team Ohio Rocketry Club (TORC) 2nd annual gathering in Springfield, OH.

The last couple of attempts, first with “Columbia”, and secondly with “Zephyr” on an Aerotech E-15 avoided certain disaster after liftoff.  Columbia “torqued” right after leaving the pad causing a kink int he airframe, which was later repaired, and Zephyr doing a loop at a similar point.   It was determined that the lower launch lug was catching on the launch rod, causing disruption int he flight patterns under higher impulse liftoffs.

By mid afternoon November 6th, Columbia roared to the sky on step #1 above the E-9 barrier. on the Aerotech E-18 White lightning motor.  Two flights were flown on the E-18 motor.  Altitude reached was 1084 feet the first flight, 1184 the second.

Columbia lifting off on the Aerotech E-18 White Lighting motor

After that, it was time to test the Aurora X5 booster design under similar conditions.   Omnia was prepared for flight.   I was feeling confident after two successful flights of Columbia on the E-18 motor that the launch lug issues were solved.  So the decision was made for a “GO” at the highest power possible on our current mid power boosters.  The F-24 White lightning.

Omnia flew two textbook wonderful flights on the F-24 motor, with a picture perfect flame.

Omnia lifting off in the early dusk hours of November 6th on the F-24 motor...

Both my iPhone camera and the camera aboard Omnia captured the moment nicely.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuGd-nMVbTU

Omnia reached an altitude of  1024 feet the first flight — along with a VERY early  parachute deployment, and 1329 feet the second flight.

November 7th was the moment of truth for the Perseus boosters.  both Eagle and Columbia were scheduled for their first flights on the F-24 motor.

Success! Columbia lifts off on the Aerotech F-24

Eagle flew two higher power flights.  The First of these flights was on the Aerotech E18-7, and reached an altitude of about 1100 feet.  The second was on the F24-7.  It was a great flight, but Eagle suffered a upper airframe zipper at parachute deployment after reaching an altitude of 1386 feet.

Columbia flew our last flight of the day with mission # PLS-23 on the F24-7 motor with a picture perfect flight, and reaching an altitude of 1335 feet.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APoPhyGdN_I

All around, it was a VERY productive day of launching for us @ TORC Fest II.   We have lots of videos from our launches TORC Fest on You Tube.  Just do a search for our channel called “CPG Aerospace” and you’ll be all set!

((( )))

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