My (first) parachute deployment system...

Discussion about deployment systems including altimeters, timers, air speed flaps, servo systems, and chemical reactions.
dongfang
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My (first) parachute deployment system...

Post by dongfang »

Hi,

Just want to show you a simple parachute deployment thing I made.

It's all made out of an umbrella that someone wanted to throw away the other day - I had it instead. It was one of those "pocket" ones where the rods are made of many parts that fold together.

It is one of those with a rubber band around the nosecone of the rocket. Down the side of the rocket hangs a lever that releases end of the rubber band, releasing the nosecone and deploying the chute. The rubber band makes the lever swing up and release it, but:

- Before launch, a pin holds the lever down
- During boost phase, the acceleration keeps the lever down
- During the coast to apogee phase, the air keeps it down
- Finally at v=0, it relases...

The parachute is the fabric thing from the umbrella, and the other parts from the structure... and I made a balsawood hinge thing.

Next, I need to make a nosecone that doesn't wedge down so hard over the rocket. It jammed a couple of times. Maybe I will glue the bottom part of a bottle (just the bottom 1 cm) on the top of the rocket, so it forms a well that the nosecone can stand in.

Regards
Soren
Attachments
Rocket away!
Rocket away!
RATS! The nosecone jammed again...
RATS! The nosecone jammed again...
Almost touchdown time
Almost touchdown time
Fifth flight, came a little further.
Fifth flight, came a little further.
First landing, complete success.
First landing, complete success.
And in the field before launch
And in the field before launch
The rocket on the pad.
The rocket on the pad.
The parachute deployment thing
The parachute deployment thing
The "launch pin" is just a piece of whatever I found, that keeps the thing from deploying on the pad. It should fall off at launch.
The "launch pin" is just a piece of whatever I found, that keeps the thing from deploying on the pad. It should fall off at launch.
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Tim Chen
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Re: My (first) parachute deployment system...

Post by Tim Chen »

Hey Soren, congrats on your first parachute deploy design! Nice to see other people experimenting and refining their ideas. I don't think a lot of people use the air speed flap and even fewer use it with a vertical deploy. Most I've read about use a side opening door. Thanks for posting the pix.
Tim Chen
Captain, Team Enterprise
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dwrrule
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Re: My (first) parachute deployment system...

Post by dwrrule »

I agree its nice to see someone creat something new an see how it works. Great job!!!!
castle-bravo
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Re: My (first) parachute deployment system...

Post by castle-bravo »

nice system i need to post some of mine soon on the web
Captoman
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Re: My (first) parachute deployment system...

Post by Captoman »

That looks great! What size do you think is ideal for the area of a speed flap? I'm working on something similar right now.