Parachute deployment

[Oberon WR]

hi,

We have been experimenting with some water rockets with a side deployment system but we haven't had much luck
with it. the last result can be found here:
[youtube][/youtube]

the system uses a flight computer as you can see and the parachute is placed behind a door that is opened by a servo motor. we can control two servo's

we are looking for a new system that works fine. difficulty isn't an issue.

does anyone know a good system I hate to rebuild the rockets over and over again

we are also interested in FTC rockets. these tube are very difficult to get in Europe but I've found a supplier within 30 Km from my home. can someone give us some tips to make such rockets? how to close the top how to make the nozzle? we use a garden hose launch system from gardena.

thanx allot

Oberon WR

[rockets-in-brighton]

We have been experimenting with some water rockets with a side deployment system but we haven't had much luck with it.

Well, it looked like it deployed but the chute was torn off the rocket. Was the timer set too late so the rocket was travelling too fast (so, is it a timer computer or does it detect apogee somehow?) Perhaps your estimate of the time to apogee was off?

[Oberon WR]

the timing should have been perfect because of a previous launch that went really nice.
it doesn't detect appogee we have to set the timer to a specific value. but we know this rocket and know the best timing for it. but somehow the parachute came out to late. Maybe the timing wasn't perfect because the strong wind blew the rocket of its track. but we aren't sure.

we know what caused the parachute to be torned of but we don't know why the chute came out to late

that's why we need to try another system.

but anyway thanks for your reply

[rockets-in-brighton]

the timing should have been perfect because of a previous launch that went really nice.
it doesn't detect appogee we have to set the timer to a specific value. but we know this rocket and know the best timing for it. but somehow the parachute came out to late. Maybe the timing wasn't perfect because the strong wind blew the rocket of its track. but we aren't sure.

we know what caused the parachute to be torned of but we don't know why the chute came out to late

that's why we need to try another system.

but anyway thanks for your reply

The reason I asked was to narrow down the cause of the failure. If you know that the timer triggers at the correct time, I guess that the problem was getting the chute out quickly once the door has opened.

How does your system operate, is the door kept closed by a pin that is pulled out by the servo? Does the chute get pushed by something or is it pulled out by the slipstream?

Some options: something elastic or springy behind the chute to propel it out when the door opens; a small drone chute which deploys quickly, and which pulls the main chute out of the body; enlarge the exit opening or make the chute smaller.

[Oberon WR]

the door is locked with a pin just as you said

and the chute is pushed out with some rubber bands behind the chute.
we can try a drone chute

can you tell me how?

Thx

[Spaceman Spiff]

hi,

We have been experimenting with some water rockets with a side deployment system but we haven't had much luck
with it. the last result can be found here:
[youtube][/youtube]

the system uses a flight computer as you can see and the parachute is placed behind a door that is opened by a servo motor. we can control two servo's

we are looking for a new system that works fine. difficulty isn't an issue.

does anyone know a good system I hate to rebuild the rockets over and over again

we are also interested in FTC rockets. these tube are very difficult to get in Europe but I've found a supplier within 30 Km from my home. can someone give us some tips to make such rockets? how to close the top how to make the nozzle? we use a garden hose launch system from gardena.

thanx allot

Oberon WR

Hi Oberon WR!

I posted some photos of my FTC rocket design in another topic here http://www.wra2.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=3346#p3346 and it might be helpful to you in your question. What I do is pretty standard operating procedure for putting an FTC rocket together. The way I did it was to find ordinary bottles that had I could glue the neck portion into the end of the FTC. Then I can use any launcher that would launch a bottle with it.

[rockets-in-brighton]

the door is locked with a pin just as you said

and the chute is pushed out with some rubber bands behind the chute.
we can try a drone chute

can you tell me how?

Thx

Sorry, I mis-typed, should have read "drogue chute". Plenty of examples and tips out there, see e.g. Paul Grosse.

[Oberon WR]

hi,

We have been experimenting with some water rockets with a side deployment system but we haven't had much luck
with it. the last result can be found here:
[youtube][/youtube]

the system uses a flight computer as you can see and the parachute is placed behind a door that is opened by a servo motor. we can control two servo's

we are looking for a new system that works fine. difficulty isn't an issue.

does anyone know a good system I hate to rebuild the rockets over and over again

we are also interested in FTC rockets. these tube are very difficult to get in Europe but I've found a supplier within 30 Km from my home. can someone give us some tips to make such rockets? how to close the top how to make the nozzle? we use a garden hose launch system from gardena.

thanx allot

Oberon WR

Hi Oberon WR!

I posted some photos of my FTC rocket design in another topic here http://www.wra2.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=3346#p3346 and it might be helpful to you in your question. What I do is pretty standard operating procedure for putting an FTC rocket together. The way I did it was to find ordinary bottles that had I could glue the neck portion into the end of the FTC. Then I can use any launcher that would launch a bottle with it.

Nice Work!!! Is it necessary to wrap the rocket with fishing wire?

[Spaceman Spiff]

hi,

We have been experimenting with some water rockets with a side deployment system but we haven't had much luck
with it. the last result can be found here:
[youtube][/youtube]

the system uses a flight computer as you can see and the parachute is placed behind a door that is opened by a servo motor. we can control two servo's

we are looking for a new system that works fine. difficulty isn't an issue.

does anyone know a good system I hate to rebuild the rockets over and over again

we are also interested in FTC rockets. these tube are very difficult to get in Europe but I've found a supplier within 30 Km from my home. can someone give us some tips to make such rockets? how to close the top how to make the nozzle? we use a garden hose launch system from gardena.

thanx allot

Oberon WR

Hi Oberon WR!

I posted some photos of my FTC rocket design in another topic here http://www.wra2.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=3346#p3346 and it might be helpful to you in your question. What I do is pretty standard operating procedure for putting an FTC rocket together. The way I did it was to find ordinary bottles that had I could glue the neck portion into the end of the FTC. Then I can use any launcher that would launch a bottle with it.

Nice Work!!! Is it necessary to wrap the rocket with fishing wire?

Thanks!

No it's not a requirement to wrap the rocket. It can hold about 150PSI with just the FTC tube all by itself. Some tests failed at higher pressures, but I pick 150 as a conservative launch pressure to be safe.

The reason for the fishing wire is that I wished to increase the launch pressure without adding a lot of weight or adding a lot of complexity to the build. I saw the fishing line trick on another website and wanted to give it a try. It does work!

[Oberon WR]

what are the measurements of your tube?

inner and outer diameter? thickness?

cheers

Oberon WR

[reno1]

what are the measurements of your tube?

inner and outer diameter? thickness?

cheers

Oberon WR

This might help http://www.wra2.org/forum/viewtopic.php ... wrapheader

[Oberon WR]

thx

but I want to know what the best dimensions are

i can get Polycarbonate tube in every diameter X 2m
that's no problem.

i just want to know witch one to choose.


and again thank you guys for the reply's

[U.S. Water Rockets1]

thx

but I want to know what the best dimensions are

i can get Polycarbonate tube in every diameter X 2m
that's no problem.

i just want to know witch one to choose.


and again thank you guys for the reply's

You should pick a diameter that is common with the parts you are planning to use for your top and bottom ends. Cutting a bottle in half and splicing the tube into the middle is the easiest way to do this so you would pick a tube that fits your bottle.

[Oberon WR]

thx

but I want to know what the best dimensions are

i can get Polycarbonate tube in every diameter X 2m
that's no problem.

i just want to know witch one to choose.


and again thank you guys for the reply's

You should pick a diameter that is common with the parts you are planning to use for your top and bottom ends. Cutting a bottle in half and splicing the tube into the middle is the easiest way to do this so you would pick a tube that fits your bottle.

thanks allot now I n-know witch one to choose
I'll go for a 5 cm tube and shrink a bottle neck around it

[Spaceman Spiff]

thx

but I want to know what the best dimensions are

i can get Polycarbonate tube in every diameter X 2m
that's no problem.

i just want to know witch one to choose.


and again thank you guys for the reply's

You should pick a diameter that is common with the parts you are planning to use for your top and bottom ends. Cutting a bottle in half and splicing the tube into the middle is the easiest way to do this so you would pick a tube that fits your bottle.

thanks allot now I n-know witch one to choose
I'll go for a 5 cm tube and shrink a bottle neck around it

T-12 FTC is about 42mm around, so you are very close to the standard FTC size.