My nephew Alex and myself (Rob Grygar) before launch

On Saturday June 13^th, I flew my rocket ‘Spike’, for my level 3 certification flight. All went as planned, with the help of many people.

“If I have seen a little further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.” -  Isaac Newton

I would like to thank those who have helped me in my quest for my successful level 3 flight.  Dave Leininger, and Ron Freiheit spent time and expertise reviewing my plans, and making recommendations to help insure a successful flight and landing. Brian Elfert allowed me to use his motor case for the flight, and he has generously let others use the case. Gary Stroick and I talked about the design late night driving back from Black Rock, to try to keep me awake while driving. The design Gary and I talked about was for being able to fly research motors, and aerospike nozzles. Bill Assimies loaned me his drogue chute, because decent rate calculations were showing too fast of a drop, and I needed a larger drogue. Tom Tweit and Carl Hasbargen helped out at the launch tower. There also a host of others, too many to mention, that encouraged me in the process.

Photo of Ron Freiheit, the other TAP, by his rocket in Black Rock.

Special thanks to my wife Helen, who has constantly encouraged and supported me in the process; she has been patient and understanding. Who could ask for more?  And last but not least, thank you God for the dream, the people, and the successful flight.

Dave Leininger (Right) is one of the TAP members.

Spike just getting started.

1/3 of a second after the previous photo.

Recovey systems performed as planned.

The landing site.

Spike, a 40 lb. rocket, launched off of the pad with a force of about 460 pounds of thrust/second, tapering down in it’s 4.2 second burn time, for a total of about 1,200 pounds of thrust.  After burn out, Spike coasted up to 7,200 ft and deployed the drogue cute, falling to about 1,000 feet above ground, then putting out the main cute for a soft landing.

Here is a video link to the flight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytXc0egQkgE

‘Spike’ was conceived and designed as a multi use platform, for use with research motors, testing designs of aerospike nozzles and head end ignition; as well as for experimenting with clustering and airstarts after the certification flight. To accomplish this task, I chose a wider airframe, and six fins for a short stable, and not over stable configuration, to limit altitude and reduce wind cocking.  Below are descriptions of materials, and photos of the build.

Dual deployment, (drogue chute and main chute) is out the front of the airframe.  The airframe is 7.5 inches in diameter, made of craft phenolic tubing, with fiberglass reinforcing.  Fins are made of a composite board, consisting of an inner layer of NOMEX (TM) honeycomb, sandwiched between thin G-10 fiberglass.  The rest of the support structures are made of 1/2 inch plywood.  The deployment of the main chute at 1,000 feet is released by a ‘Black Sky ARRD’.  (Advanced Retention and Release Device.)  The ARRD was held to the core of the structure by a metal plate that I made with my lathe.  The deployment of the drogue chute at apogee, and the main chute at 1,000 feet, is controlled by a Gwiz LCX  for the primary altimeter, and a PML Co-Pilot for the secondary altimeter.  The base of the rocket has three 38 mm motor mounts for air starting motors, or launching off of a cluster of motors from the launch pad.  In the nose cone, there is an auxilliary bay to house a tracking transmitter, which aids in locating the rocket should it land out of sight.

TAP member Dave Leininger after signing the certification form

The photos of the building process can be enlarged by clicking on the thumbnails in the gallery below.