Archive for XR5 (Aurora) Medium Power Booster

19 results.

Some updates and changes…

Jan09
by cgould on January 9, 2011 at 8:48 PM
Posted In: XR5 (Aurora) Medium Power Booster

(January 9, 2011 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH)

We are still working out a possible launch window for January 15th.  Originally scheduled to fly was Perseus Columbia on a high performance flight, and an Artemis booster to test anti-zippering tech.

Since the Aurora X5 booster “Firefly” is done, and ready for flight, I have decided to dump the Artemis mission, and go with Firefly.  Firefly is already equipped with anti-zipper tech, so I can kill two birds with one stone here.   Columbia is still a “go” as well.

Aurora X5 Firefly on a launch pad test.

The plan is to do one high performance flight with Columbia, and two flights with Firefly.  Firefly will fly the camera and altimeter, and depending on the direction of the winds, I may go for the F35 motor flight as Firefly’s second mission!  First launch will be on an E-18 motor.  I may decide to work my way up to the F35 with an F24 flight in between — it just depends on how patient I will be in the cold.  Hehe.

So far the weather is looking ok..a bit on the breezy side – which is OK for the anti-zipper tests.  High of 30, 12 MPH winds.  We’re starting the countdown for a Saturday the 15th, or a Sunday the 16th launch should we scrub Saturday’s attempt…

This launch will be at the O’Reily field in Middlefield, OH.

This will be my first club launch as VP of the MTMA rocketry club!  More on that later!

((( )))

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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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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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