We just revamped a 2 liter with a new fin design, new CG, weight changes, and a faster opening chute.
We were anxious, so we launched it during poor wind conditions.
Somehow when it took off, it went so fast and straight, it just vanished. We didnt even see it's general trajectory, and we were looking right at it. So then we launched another good standard 2 liter without recovery at lower pressure, to get an idea where the first one went. We grossly miscalculated the wind direction and speed, and dropped them somewhere in the subdivision nearby. So we recover the second one, since we saw where it landed, and eventually find the first one another 400 yards downrange. We knew it was a new personal record for our 2 liter launches, so we adjusted the launcher angle by a buttload of degrees, toward the safe zone, threw a new alt in it and.... DUHHHRRRRRRRRRR.......launched it again without confirming the angle changes.....
Rocket takes off like a banshee and disappears again, but this time we saw its general direction before we lost it. Then we relocate it,....... kiting,... or floating down very slowly, without the chute open yet, heading back toward the subdivision again. The chute ejects late, (a planned preference since we launch in minor wind conditions often) and opens up good and fast, and the rocket floats into a tree in the subdivision. A big cottonwood, way up at the top. Even a bucket truck would never be able to reach it. If we are lucky, It might come down 6 months from now.
And we went to the subdivision to see if we could see it from the bottom in the street, and take pics, the homeowner came out and went all, creepy, Grand Torino, get off my lawn, or I'll castle doctrine your azzes, blah blah blah...on us.
Even though we were standing in the street......
Yawn....
