Turns out we didn't need that 2 inch PVC pipe, the motherboard was smaller than we initially thought so it turns out the original size of the rocket fuselage is fine. Today we basically just consolidated all the information we had, and continued construction on the new rockets. We just made some progress but nothing that drastic happened, but we completed a decent amount of work.
Mike B.
Today we figured out that we did not need the PVC pipe because the accelerometer does not take as much space as we thought it might. We then spent time making tubes of the original size and making the styrofoam cones to that size. We also were able, through trial and error, to make a piece-wise function to approximate the graph of the thrust force over time given by the instructions of the C-class rockets. From here we can find a function for acceleration and then move farther on our way to modeling the flight path.
-Scott
Today was just another day of construction basically. We found better way to fold the parachute so that it opens when it is supposed to. Before, it wasn't opening completely, but after playing around with the way that it was folded, we found it to completely open. Also, we came up with the idea of using styrofoam for the cones. We began construction on the cones by cutting and sanding layers of styrofoam. Also, more mathematical work was done and a piece-wise function was devised that would approximate thrust force vs. time. This would allow us to get a function for acceleration, which in turn would make the goal of modeling a flight path more attainable. More tubes were constructed today, but these were slightly thinner than the one we tested the other day. Also, the two inch diameter tubes won't be needed because we found out that we could make the accelerometer fit into a smaller area.
-Christian
After our first launch, we found out that we needed to change the way our parachute ejected so we played around with that. We also began building a styrofoam cone for our rocket. It may be the right idea so the accelerometer can fit inside the rocket and not get damaged during a launch. The accelerometer was smaller than we expected to be so we used our original design materials and began building the frame of our second rocket. Obviously there will be other variables we will change from what we learned from our first attempt.
-Kushal
Today, we did more work on the construction. We began to work on a cone made of Styrofoam. To make the cone, we cut a square out of foam and began to sand it to the desired shape. The math team made good progress on the equations. The larger 2 inch pvc pipe that we bought the other day was found to be unnecessary.
-Ben W
Friday, May 23, 2008
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Rebel Rockets-Day 4
We got some more supplies today. Because the acceleramator and motherboard had a diameter of about 2 inches, we had to find something else besides a dowel, so we got some PVC pipe and hopefully that will work. After that we just continued on with some building of new rockets because the other one got smashed, and we also continued to work on the math. It was a pretty uneventful day compared to yesterday, but we got done what we needed to get done.
-Mike B.
Today was spent on constructing more rocket parts because the rocket we tested yesterday was destroyed. More materials were purchased today. We figured that we would need to make the diameters of the fuselages bigger, so the tubes we constructed today were about two inches. More work was also done on the math aspect of our project. More thought was placed into making a new way to attach the shock cord and attaching the fins onto the rocket. The fins on the first rocket were not completely straight, which might have affected it's flight path. Also, a new way of folding the parachute for the recovery system was thought of.
-Christian
We worked on building new rockets today. First we needed a larger diameter for the rockets, so we picked up PVC pipe. We cut the segment in half so we could build two rockets at a time. The rest of the day was spent building the rockets and working on the equations. We increased the diameter of the rocket in order to fit the accelerometer into the rocket.
-Ben W.
Today began with planning on what we need to do after a good launch yesterday. We figured our that we need a larger diameter for our rocket as to hold the accelerometer. So we went and got some PVC pipe and cut it into two. We also did some more research into the math so we can figure out the height and other variables when we launch our second rocket.
-Kushal
Today we began with discussing what modifications we needed to make to the rocket to ensure that the payload delivers. We decided that better sealing to increase pressure would increase the probability that the engine pushes the cone out. We also purchased PVC pipe with a diameter of 2 inches.
- Mike See
Today we started with acquiring more supplies for the next rockets. We went to the hardware store and purchased a large piece of PVC pipe with a diameter of 2 inches. This may be neccessary for the accelerometer to fit in the tube. We also discussed the changes that need be made to the rocket to improve the performance, such as more filling to increase the pressure in the tube and cause the parachute to eject, and improvement on the design of the fins.
-Scott
-Mike B.
Today was spent on constructing more rocket parts because the rocket we tested yesterday was destroyed. More materials were purchased today. We figured that we would need to make the diameters of the fuselages bigger, so the tubes we constructed today were about two inches. More work was also done on the math aspect of our project. More thought was placed into making a new way to attach the shock cord and attaching the fins onto the rocket. The fins on the first rocket were not completely straight, which might have affected it's flight path. Also, a new way of folding the parachute for the recovery system was thought of.
-Christian
We worked on building new rockets today. First we needed a larger diameter for the rockets, so we picked up PVC pipe. We cut the segment in half so we could build two rockets at a time. The rest of the day was spent building the rockets and working on the equations. We increased the diameter of the rocket in order to fit the accelerometer into the rocket.
-Ben W.
Today began with planning on what we need to do after a good launch yesterday. We figured our that we need a larger diameter for our rocket as to hold the accelerometer. So we went and got some PVC pipe and cut it into two. We also did some more research into the math so we can figure out the height and other variables when we launch our second rocket.
-Kushal
Today we began with discussing what modifications we needed to make to the rocket to ensure that the payload delivers. We decided that better sealing to increase pressure would increase the probability that the engine pushes the cone out. We also purchased PVC pipe with a diameter of 2 inches.
- Mike See
Today we started with acquiring more supplies for the next rockets. We went to the hardware store and purchased a large piece of PVC pipe with a diameter of 2 inches. This may be neccessary for the accelerometer to fit in the tube. We also discussed the changes that need be made to the rocket to improve the performance, such as more filling to increase the pressure in the tube and cause the parachute to eject, and improvement on the design of the fins.
-Scott
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Rebel Rockets-Day 3
We launched our first rocket today, and it was fairly successful. It reached a height much higher than we initially expected. Our initial estimate was 200-300 feet in the air, but the rocket probably reached a height of at least 800 feet. The rocket did not travel straight up, and it landed much further away than we thought it would. The parachute did not deploy and we definitely need to fix that problem. Maybe the parachute was packed too tightly inside the tube, or maybe the cone fit too tightly in the tube. Also, there might have been too many leaks in the tube that allowed pressure to decrease inside, preventing the parachute from deploying. Also, we need to create a new way to attach the shock cord to the rocket because when we examined the rocket after the launch, the shock cord did not stay in place.
-Christian
Today we got our first rocket to actually launch. It went a lot higher than we though, I'm not sure how exactly high it will be, but it was definitely more than 300 feet. The major problem was that the parachute didn't deploy, we think this is because there was either too much wading in the tube or the cone was too tight into the tube, this is a pretty easy problem to solve. A not so easy problem is that the shock cord didn't stay where we wanted it to, meaning if the chute did deploy the body of the rocket would have still been in free fall. So we need to find an alternate way of attaching that other than just tape. Even though the parachute didn't deploy it was really cool seeing the rocket actually work and fly well, I'm looking forward to see how we can improve our design.
-Mike B.
Today began quite well. We met at the school and repaired the damage done to the rocket yesterday. The rocket was then allowed to dry, and a new engine was put in. We then fired the rocket. It went considerably higher than any of us expected. It remained relatively straight. The only problem was in the parachute. It didn't deploy. This could be due to the fact that the wadding was too tight, or that the cone was on too tight. Either way, we will have to look into this problem and find a solution before we finally test our variables.
-Ben W.
Today was promising. It served as proof that this is actually an achievable project for us. The most exciting part, at least to me, was the relatively stable flight path of the rocket. The fact that there was little tilt and yaw reduces my concern that calculating the height based on accelerometer data would be heinously difficult.
-Mike See
Today we reached the goal of our first stage. Our first launch occurred today, showing that the prototype was a success. There are still factors that need to improve, such as the ejection of the parachute and the wadding of the tube. But the rocket launched to a height beyond eyesight and had a flight path that was easier to calculate with less variation in the data than the worst case scenario. This gives reassurance to the future calculations that we will have to do for the rest of the rockets.
-Scott
We were able to modify our launch pad and fix our rocket for a launch in the morning. We launch our first rocket and it was much better than we all expected as the rocket went relativly straight. We may still need to adjust the rocket angle and figure out another way to do that by changing the launch pad. Overall, we know that we can build a rocket that works and we know that we can modify it to get better results. We also need to rework our parachute as it did not eject itself from the rocket.
-Kushal
-Christian
Today we got our first rocket to actually launch. It went a lot higher than we though, I'm not sure how exactly high it will be, but it was definitely more than 300 feet. The major problem was that the parachute didn't deploy, we think this is because there was either too much wading in the tube or the cone was too tight into the tube, this is a pretty easy problem to solve. A not so easy problem is that the shock cord didn't stay where we wanted it to, meaning if the chute did deploy the body of the rocket would have still been in free fall. So we need to find an alternate way of attaching that other than just tape. Even though the parachute didn't deploy it was really cool seeing the rocket actually work and fly well, I'm looking forward to see how we can improve our design.
-Mike B.
Today began quite well. We met at the school and repaired the damage done to the rocket yesterday. The rocket was then allowed to dry, and a new engine was put in. We then fired the rocket. It went considerably higher than any of us expected. It remained relatively straight. The only problem was in the parachute. It didn't deploy. This could be due to the fact that the wadding was too tight, or that the cone was on too tight. Either way, we will have to look into this problem and find a solution before we finally test our variables.
-Ben W.
Today was promising. It served as proof that this is actually an achievable project for us. The most exciting part, at least to me, was the relatively stable flight path of the rocket. The fact that there was little tilt and yaw reduces my concern that calculating the height based on accelerometer data would be heinously difficult.
-Mike See
Today we reached the goal of our first stage. Our first launch occurred today, showing that the prototype was a success. There are still factors that need to improve, such as the ejection of the parachute and the wadding of the tube. But the rocket launched to a height beyond eyesight and had a flight path that was easier to calculate with less variation in the data than the worst case scenario. This gives reassurance to the future calculations that we will have to do for the rest of the rockets.
-Scott
We were able to modify our launch pad and fix our rocket for a launch in the morning. We launch our first rocket and it was much better than we all expected as the rocket went relativly straight. We may still need to adjust the rocket angle and figure out another way to do that by changing the launch pad. Overall, we know that we can build a rocket that works and we know that we can modify it to get better results. We also need to rework our parachute as it did not eject itself from the rocket.
-Kushal
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Rebel Rockets-Day 2
We were glad to see that the tube we constructed yesterday dried well. The single sheet of paper with the layers of wood glue and polyurethane had a good hardness to it. It took us several tries to get a working parachute. We initially tried to make it by connecting pieces of plastic with masking tape, however this method did not work well. The masking tape made it difficult for the parachute to open up. Instead, we just used a plastic grocery bag that we cut smaller. Surprisingly, this design worked extremely well. Today, we also tried to launch our first rocket, but we failed. We need to devise a better way to attach the rocket to the launch pad because every time we tried to do so today, the rocket would not stay straight. We also need to modify the launch pad so that the fuse is not resting on it. The engine did not even ignite, and we did not bring extra engines with us at the launch site. Next time we need to bring spare materials. Also, the rain did not help today. We should probably find a launch site that is further away from a road. We should also learn to calm down because we definitely rushed this first launch. We were too eager and did not think about what we should have done.
--Christian
Today started off well. We were able to meet up and begin work. We started by going to the local hobby shop and purchasing the items we would need. We bought rocket engines and fuses. We tested out the fuses and the rockets to make sure we would know how to work them and how long it would take until they fired. We then began work on the parachute. The first design was made from plastic bags and tape. It did no hold together well, so we built a new one out of a plastic bag. This design worked better than we could have imagined. We then got to work putting the rocket completely together. When the rocket was completed, we went to the school to test it out. When we attempted to light the rocket, we failed. We had acted too hastily, and it caused us to be unable to launch or rocket. In the future, we will bring extra rocket engines and be more patient.
-Ben W.
Today we were able to start off the morning well by quickly getting the engines and fuses we needed and returning to continue construction. The tubes that were made the previous day came out very well, so we moved on to the parachute. The initial try to make the parachute was unsuccessful, due to the excess of tape used to bind the pieces of plastic. The parachute would not open from a crumpled position and even if it did open it would not significantly change the rate at which the attached item would fall. The second attempt, which worked surprisingly well, used part of a plastic grocery bag. After this, we moved on to attaching the fins and cones while working on formulas for modeling the path of the rocket. Off of the instructions from the engines, we obtained a graph of the thrust(Newtons) provided over time. From here we plan to create a piecewise function to describe the graph, then integrate it to find the momentum. At that point we will divide by the mass to find the function for velocity. From this point, we can find a function for the force of drag and weigh it against the function of the force of the rocket. After this we finished up by putting the engine in the rocket and then set off to test with our first launch. The launch ended up never happening due to a problem with the engine igniting. We failed to modify the launching pad to use with the fuse and to bring extra engines because we were caught up in the excitement of a launch on the second day and were too hurried. In the future we will be sure to have taken care of everything that need be done before any launch we proceed with.
-Scott
We made a lot of progress today. The tubes for the rocket dried and are pretty hard now, and are sturdy enough to make it through the launch. We also got some more supplies, we now have all the rockets we will need and also some fuse as a way of launching each of the rockets. We also had made a parachute, the first didn't work that well and was made up of sandwich bags and tape, so we made another using a home depot plastic bag and that should work pretty well. We also carved out some wings using balsa wood and those look pretty good, not perfect but they are close enough and the rocket should fly pretty straight, I hope. However, at the end we kind of rushed our launch and because of that we attempted to launch in bad conditions and without enough supplies. Our engine didn't ignite so the rocket didn't go off, and we didn't have any more engines so we had to call it a day. The weather we were trying to do this in wasn't that great anyways, it was rainy and cloudy so we probably are better off that we waited.
-Mike B.
Progress was excellent today. The polyurethane had strengthened the tube even more than expected and it had dried quite symmetrically. The construction of the rest of the rocket went off without any problems. Connecting the fins was a simple matter of directly attaching them to the rocket body with super glue and the parachute was just half of a plastic shopping bag. Launching the rocket proved to be more difficult. The weather was damp enough that the rocket would not ignite, and since we had neglected to bring any extra rockets we were forced to give up. The stability of the rocket was also an issue on the launch pad. We will need to put a hole through the blast shield to prevent the fuse from making the rocket unstable.
- Mike See
Most of our work on our inital rocket was done today and we were even able to attempt a test flight which did not work. The rocket engine was a dud and our launching pad needed to be modified so the rocket would not tilt in a dangerous direction. The weather was also not ideal for a test launch as it was wet and a little windy. Despite these problems, we were able to get some sutiable rocket engines and test those out. We also spent time building a parachute and testing that out. So far it works but it may need to be modified in the future. We also worked on some more calculations and it was apparent that a little more research was needed.
-Kushal
--Christian
Today started off well. We were able to meet up and begin work. We started by going to the local hobby shop and purchasing the items we would need. We bought rocket engines and fuses. We tested out the fuses and the rockets to make sure we would know how to work them and how long it would take until they fired. We then began work on the parachute. The first design was made from plastic bags and tape. It did no hold together well, so we built a new one out of a plastic bag. This design worked better than we could have imagined. We then got to work putting the rocket completely together. When the rocket was completed, we went to the school to test it out. When we attempted to light the rocket, we failed. We had acted too hastily, and it caused us to be unable to launch or rocket. In the future, we will bring extra rocket engines and be more patient.
-Ben W.
Today we were able to start off the morning well by quickly getting the engines and fuses we needed and returning to continue construction. The tubes that were made the previous day came out very well, so we moved on to the parachute. The initial try to make the parachute was unsuccessful, due to the excess of tape used to bind the pieces of plastic. The parachute would not open from a crumpled position and even if it did open it would not significantly change the rate at which the attached item would fall. The second attempt, which worked surprisingly well, used part of a plastic grocery bag. After this, we moved on to attaching the fins and cones while working on formulas for modeling the path of the rocket. Off of the instructions from the engines, we obtained a graph of the thrust(Newtons) provided over time. From here we plan to create a piecewise function to describe the graph, then integrate it to find the momentum. At that point we will divide by the mass to find the function for velocity. From this point, we can find a function for the force of drag and weigh it against the function of the force of the rocket. After this we finished up by putting the engine in the rocket and then set off to test with our first launch. The launch ended up never happening due to a problem with the engine igniting. We failed to modify the launching pad to use with the fuse and to bring extra engines because we were caught up in the excitement of a launch on the second day and were too hurried. In the future we will be sure to have taken care of everything that need be done before any launch we proceed with.
-Scott
We made a lot of progress today. The tubes for the rocket dried and are pretty hard now, and are sturdy enough to make it through the launch. We also got some more supplies, we now have all the rockets we will need and also some fuse as a way of launching each of the rockets. We also had made a parachute, the first didn't work that well and was made up of sandwich bags and tape, so we made another using a home depot plastic bag and that should work pretty well. We also carved out some wings using balsa wood and those look pretty good, not perfect but they are close enough and the rocket should fly pretty straight, I hope. However, at the end we kind of rushed our launch and because of that we attempted to launch in bad conditions and without enough supplies. Our engine didn't ignite so the rocket didn't go off, and we didn't have any more engines so we had to call it a day. The weather we were trying to do this in wasn't that great anyways, it was rainy and cloudy so we probably are better off that we waited.
-Mike B.
Progress was excellent today. The polyurethane had strengthened the tube even more than expected and it had dried quite symmetrically. The construction of the rest of the rocket went off without any problems. Connecting the fins was a simple matter of directly attaching them to the rocket body with super glue and the parachute was just half of a plastic shopping bag. Launching the rocket proved to be more difficult. The weather was damp enough that the rocket would not ignite, and since we had neglected to bring any extra rockets we were forced to give up. The stability of the rocket was also an issue on the launch pad. We will need to put a hole through the blast shield to prevent the fuse from making the rocket unstable.
- Mike See
Most of our work on our inital rocket was done today and we were even able to attempt a test flight which did not work. The rocket engine was a dud and our launching pad needed to be modified so the rocket would not tilt in a dangerous direction. The weather was also not ideal for a test launch as it was wet and a little windy. Despite these problems, we were able to get some sutiable rocket engines and test those out. We also spent time building a parachute and testing that out. So far it works but it may need to be modified in the future. We also worked on some more calculations and it was apparent that a little more research was needed.
-Kushal
Monday, May 19, 2008
Rebel Rockets-Day 1
I think we got a lot done for the first day of our project. We need to work more on organization. Meeting up with everyone was kind of a hassle in the morning, but once we all got together we worked pretty well considering none of us have worked together in one group before. We should probably finish buying the materials for our rockets tomorrow and we need to keep the receipts so that we can split up the charges between all of us at the end. The tubes we constructed today were alright; they weren't completely cylindrical but they will do. Hopefully they will dry uniformly.
-Christian
I think today was a good first day. It got off to a rocky start since we didn't really know what we were doing or meeting, but once we got together things started working out pretty well. We got to building and started a little bit with the math and it seems like it's going well. Our first rocket was horrible, but the next two looked pretty good, we'll see how they dry tomorrow. We still got some stuff to figure out though, we need some more supplies, but that can be taken care of tomorrow. I think we're off to a good start.
-Mike B.
The day started off poorly. We had trouble meeting up, but once we ll got together, we were able to work. We spent the morning getting the supplies we would need for the day. We then began the process of making the rockets. It started rocky. The first rocket we created was not very stable or straight. after this, we were able to create a new rocket that was much better. we then coated it in glue. we created a second rocket, and coated that one in glue too. We then coated the first rocket in lacquer and are allowing that to dry overnight. We are then going to compare the two rockets. Whichever rocket we find works better, we will use as the basic outline for the future.
-Ben W.
The first day was the time that was needed to organize, get supplies, and plan the days to come. We did not start the day very well-organized, and had trouble meeting up at a certain spot to begin our project. But after the initial confusion we were off to get supplies. We got the majority of the things we needed without much trouble and preceded to the construction of the initial prototype. The first tube was not very stable and slightly misshapen as it was made without any definite premise for the actual crafting, but improvements were made on the second tube, which was then coated with glue and set out to dry overnight. Besides this, we researched the formula for the force of drag and considered how the different forces on the rocket would combine and interact. On the second day we plan to get the rest of the supplies and continue construction on the prototype with intents of soon having a completed model to base our efforts on in the future.
-Scott
The first day was primarily a learning experience for the construction of the rockets. After a couple of attempts at building the fuselage it became apparent that its structural integrity is far more dependent upon the application of glue and polyurethane than the amount of paper. The discussion about modeling the flight path centered primarily around the method for calculating the force of drag given the inconsistent thrust of the rocket. We will probably spend more time on the modeling after we've finished designing the rocket itself.
-Mike
In the first day we figured out what materials we needed for the rocket and where to get them. We were able to obtain most of the materials we needed for the first day so as to build the inital fuselage. Form there, we planned on what to do next and what other materials we needed. We aslo looked for calculations so we can determine the hieght of the rocket when we launch it and any other variables. We were able to find a formula for the force of drag as it will help us in determining the flight path of the rocket.
-Kushal
-Christian
I think today was a good first day. It got off to a rocky start since we didn't really know what we were doing or meeting, but once we got together things started working out pretty well. We got to building and started a little bit with the math and it seems like it's going well. Our first rocket was horrible, but the next two looked pretty good, we'll see how they dry tomorrow. We still got some stuff to figure out though, we need some more supplies, but that can be taken care of tomorrow. I think we're off to a good start.
-Mike B.
The day started off poorly. We had trouble meeting up, but once we ll got together, we were able to work. We spent the morning getting the supplies we would need for the day. We then began the process of making the rockets. It started rocky. The first rocket we created was not very stable or straight. after this, we were able to create a new rocket that was much better. we then coated it in glue. we created a second rocket, and coated that one in glue too. We then coated the first rocket in lacquer and are allowing that to dry overnight. We are then going to compare the two rockets. Whichever rocket we find works better, we will use as the basic outline for the future.
-Ben W.
The first day was the time that was needed to organize, get supplies, and plan the days to come. We did not start the day very well-organized, and had trouble meeting up at a certain spot to begin our project. But after the initial confusion we were off to get supplies. We got the majority of the things we needed without much trouble and preceded to the construction of the initial prototype. The first tube was not very stable and slightly misshapen as it was made without any definite premise for the actual crafting, but improvements were made on the second tube, which was then coated with glue and set out to dry overnight. Besides this, we researched the formula for the force of drag and considered how the different forces on the rocket would combine and interact. On the second day we plan to get the rest of the supplies and continue construction on the prototype with intents of soon having a completed model to base our efforts on in the future.
-Scott
The first day was primarily a learning experience for the construction of the rockets. After a couple of attempts at building the fuselage it became apparent that its structural integrity is far more dependent upon the application of glue and polyurethane than the amount of paper. The discussion about modeling the flight path centered primarily around the method for calculating the force of drag given the inconsistent thrust of the rocket. We will probably spend more time on the modeling after we've finished designing the rocket itself.
-Mike
In the first day we figured out what materials we needed for the rocket and where to get them. We were able to obtain most of the materials we needed for the first day so as to build the inital fuselage. Form there, we planned on what to do next and what other materials we needed. We aslo looked for calculations so we can determine the hieght of the rocket when we launch it and any other variables. We were able to find a formula for the force of drag as it will help us in determining the flight path of the rocket.
-Kushal
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