14L rocket launched at 170 psi, reaching apogee height of 740ft / 226 meter
Almost no wind and a good day to launch the 14 liter rocket, my biggest one at date.
The rocket body was finished for sometime now, but i had to wait for some fabric, ripstop nylon (as used in stunt-kites) to make a parachute
that could bring this rocket down to earth safely.
The 14L rocket is large (and heavy) and reaches high speeds, my garbage-bag style chutes will not survive deployment, if not done exactly at apogee.
Key-dimensions of the 14L rocket:
- capacity pressure vessel 14 dm^3 / 190 psi aqua tested.
- weight 1450 grams.
- diameter, standard bottle / 87 mm.
- height pressure vessel 250 cm.
- total height with electronics and chute bay 300 cm.
- chute ripstop nylon span 80 cm octagon.
Aqua-pressure tested the pressure vessel at 190 psi for 5 minutes yesterday and todays plan was to launch the rocket at 180 psi with 3 liter water fill.
But ... my portable starter aid battery gave up at 170 psi, no juice left to drive the pump. (this was after about 25 minutes pumping, grrr...).
The launch was pretty spectacular, the long (240cm) launchtube deformed completely and was pushed side-ways under the forces of the rocket leaving the launcher,
apogee 740 ft / 226 meter at about 7 seconds in flight
If you consider the proportions of the rocket (3m / 1,45 kg) you will surely agree that the acceleration at launch is spectacular!.
Followed by my personal best apogee height at date, 740 ft / 226 meter!.
Flight was very stable and going straight up, no instability's or wobbling, except for the bending of the launch tube a perfect flight.
Chute opened just after apogee, rocket floated down and touched ground only 30 meter from the tumbled launcher.
The flight was recorded with an altimeter, type perfectflite alt15k.
Results where downloaded and exported to Excell, see picture below.
