Archive for XR4 (Perseus) Medium Power Booster project

29 results.

First cool electronic payload launched this past weekend!

Oct11
by cgould on October 11, 2010 at 1:54 AM
Posted In: XR4 (Perseus) Medium Power Booster project

(Saturday, October 9th, 2010 – Harmon Flying Field)

Perseus Booster “Eagle” was a show stealer during the October 9th launches.  It even overshadowed the maiden voyages of the Aurora X5 “Omnia”.  What stole the show was our first fully operational electronic payload, a rocket based video camera!

Here’s the first of two videos we posted on YouTube:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89hTM0lLEzc

The second is the same flight, but slowed to 1/10th speed:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cI9boEVRT-E

The launch as a series of stills from angles of view we’ve never been able to show before…enjoy!

Liftoff of Perseus "Eagle" with video camera.

Liftoff still frame from Eagle's point of view...

The view of the MTMA Harmon Field launch site from Eagle.

Eagle at apogee...

Parachute Deployment

Parachute deployment, booster in the background...

Another view of the booster section...

Booster again....

Really cool view of the booster being whipped around as the parachute opens....

Parachute opening....

Another parachute view....

Eagle on parachute as seen from the ground - long range zoom...

Eagle closer to the ground....

Too cool indeed!   Hope you enjoyed it!

((( )))

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Artemis Booster X2 “Bumble Bee” ready to fly..

Oct07
by cgould on October 7, 2010 at 4:01 AM
Posted In: XR2 (Artemis) Medium power booster Project, XR4 (Perseus) Medium Power Booster project

(October 6, 2010 – Cuyahoga Falls)

The Artemis Booster “Bumble Bee” is scheduled to fly on October 9th from Harmon Field along with is counterpart Perseus booster “Columbia”.

The countdown has been started with great weather int he forecast..

((( )))

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Perseus Columbia payload bay tests are successful

Sep01
by cgould on September 1, 2010 at 5:30 PM
Posted In: XR4 (Perseus) Medium Power Booster project

(Harmon Flying Field -Aurora, OH-, August 28, 2010)

Perseus Booster “Columbia” made a series of four flights testing both a new payload section which housed our first experimental Altimeter.  The Altimeter worked, but the integrity of the data recovered is in question.  We’re looking into the issues.  The payload bay did its job, and performed well.  Columbia also flew its highest powered flight yet on an Aerotech E-15 motor.

The impressive flight highlighted a stress limitation with the  strength of the Airframe design of the Perseus booster.  That was the down side, but from that flight we were able to find the causes, and now have data that will allow us to pick higher power moders for future high power / high altitude flights with thrust curve characteristics that will not over stress thew airframes.

Perseus Booster "Columbia" taking to the skies on an Aerotech E-15.

No permanent damage was caused to Columbia, and in fact, we flew three more flights without doing any repairs or maintenance on the booster.

Our post-flight analasis of the launch shows the moment of maximum stress on the airframe. Note how the flame points in one direction, and the rocket the other. Columbia's airframe was also bending at the center of maximum dynamic pressure, just above the fins.

The next scheduled Perseus Booster launch is September 11, where Perseus Booster “Eagle” will test hardware for utilizing a dual deployment recovery system, which will allow us to break the 2,000 foot ceiling we are currently limited to.

More as we get closer!

(((  )))

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