Make: High-Power Rockets is for all the science geeks who look at the moon and try to figure out where Neil Armstrong walked, watch in awe as rockets lift off, and want to fly their own model rockets. Starting with an overview of mid- and high-power rocketry, readers will start out making rockets with F and G engines, and move on up to H engines.
Author(s): Mike Westerfield
Year: 2017
Language: English
Pages: 300
Preface
Conventions Used in This Book
Using Designs
O’Reilly Online Learning
How to Contact Us
Acknowledgments
1. Mid- and High-Power Rocketry
What Is High-Power Rocketry?
Rocket Motors by Total Impulse
Rocket Motor Labels
Low-Power Rocketry
Mid-Power Rocketry
High-Power Rocketry
Amateur Rocketry
Joining a Club
The Flight of a Typical High-Power Rocket
2. The Level 1 Rocket
Should You Build This Rocket?
One Rocket for Level 1 and 2?
Cost per Flight
Rocket Kits
Designing High-Power Rockets
Choosing a Simulator
Getting Started with OpenRocket
Simulating Flight
3. The Level 1 Rocket Continued
Parts and Tools
Where to Buy Parts
A Detailed Walk-Through of the Parts List
A Detailed Walk-Through of the Tools and Supplies
Building the Rocket
Cutting the Fins
Cutting the Payload Tube and Motor Mount Tube
Installing the Motor Mount and Shock Cord
Installing the Fins
Adding Launch Lugs and Rail Buttons
Installing the Aft Centering Ring and Motor Retainer
Installing the Quick Links
Building the Payload Bay
Painting Callisto
Tuning the Simulation
4. The Level 1 Certification Flight: Preparations
Getting Ready
Following the Rules
Preparing the Paperwork
The Importance of Checklists
The Level 1 Motor
Buying a Motor
Building the AeroTech H128W-M
Building the Cesaroni H163-14A
Preparing the AeroTech H135W-14A
5. The Level 1 Certification Flight: Launch
Launch Day!
What to Take
The Safety Code
What to Expect at the Launch Site
Preparing the Rocket
The Flight
Cleaning the Motors
Disposing of a Motor or Ejection Charge Material
6. The Level 2 Rocket
Deimos: A Plastic Level 2 Rocket
Deimos Simulation Files
Building Deimos
Phobos: A Fiberglass Level 2 Rocket
Some Thoughts on Fiberglass Rockets
Cutting Fiberglass
Building Phobos
Flying Deimos and Phobos Using Single Deployment
Motor Adapters
What About the Shear Pins?
7. Altimeters and Dual Deploy with Cable Cutters
What Is Dual Deploy?
Choosing an Altimeter
Shear Pins
Cable Cutters
Building an Altimiter Sled
Finding Altimeter Vent Hole Sizes
Modifying Deimos or Phobos for Dual Deploy
Picking the Size for Recovery Charges
Predicting the Recovery Charge Size
Testing Recovery Charges
The Dual-Deploy Flight
8. Dual Deploy with a Drogue and Main Parachute
What Will You Need
How Dual Deploy with Two Parachutes Works
Converting Deimos for Dual Deploy
Building the Electronics Bay
Building the Second Parachute Bay
Installing the Electronics
Testing the Ejection Charge
Flying a Dual-Deploy Rocket
9. Selecting Parachutes
General Rules for Recovery
Packing Size
Parachute Rocket Science
The Energy of a Falling Body
Parachute Aerodynamics
10. Tracking Your Rocket
Sonic Devices
Directional Radios
GPS
What You Need
Software
Flying with the TeleMega
Other GPS Solutions
11. The Level 2 Exam
Rocketry and the Law
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (BATFE, Often Shortened to ATF)
The Department of Transportation (DOT)
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
The National Association of Rocketry (NAR) and the Tripoli Rocketry Association (TRA)
Motor Construction
Igniters
Clustering Motors
Testing Rocket Stability
The Level 2 Test
12. The Level 3 Certification Process
Prerequisites
Project Requirements
Your Certification Team
The Engineering Package
Introduction
Construction
Recovery
Stability Evaluation
Flight Profile
Checklists
Building Your Rocket
Flight Day
13. A Level 3 Rocket
Ganymede
Building Ganymede
Cutting and Collecting the Fiberglass Parts
Assembling the Booster
Avionics Bay Construction
Upper Parachute Bay Construction
Shear Pin Holes
Building the Shock Cords
Installing Computers
Ejection Charges
Selecting Parachutes
Flying Ganymede
The Motor
Checklists
14. New Heights
National Events
A. Places to Buy Stuff or Find Information
Model Rocket Parts and Supplies
Aero Pack, Inc.
AeroTech Consumer Aerospace
Altus Metrum
Apogee Components
Balsa Machining Service
Cesaroni Technology Incorporated
Estes Industries
Featherweight Altimeters LLC
Fruity Chutes
Hobby Lobby
LOC Precision
Madcow Rocketry
Missile Works
PerfectFlite
Prairie Twister Rocketry
Pratt Hobbies, Inc.
Public Missiles Ltd.
Quest Aerospace
Wildman Rocketry
Clubs and Information Websites
Author’s Website
OpenRocket
Rocket Reviews
The Rocketry Forum
ThrustCurve.org
General Supplies and Hardware
Ace Hardware
Bolt Depot
Country Brook Design
Home Depot
Lowes
JoAnn Fabric Store
OnlineMetals.com
B. High-Power Rocket Safety Codes
National Association of Rocketry High-Power Rocket Safety Code
Tripoli Rocketry Association Safety Code for High-Power Rocketry
Glossary
Index
About the Author
