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Highlights of recent developments on the MiniSShot Project
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- The test report which documents the static firing of the MiniSShot
motor which occurred on Nov.22 has been completed and has been uploaded
to the SugarShot website:
http://www.sugarshot.org/downloads/protosshot_ii_firing_report_nov22_2008.pdf
- The Blast Tube Motor (BTM)
( http://www.sugarshot.org/downloads/btm_motor1.gif ) was successfully
test fired yesterday, as planned, in the Mojave Desert. The firing was a
successful one and the results were encouraging. The ablative tube that
was being tested (in the blast tube portion of the motor) withstood the
intense heating well, losing only 7% of its original mass. The tube
experienced some secondary heating on the outer surface due to hot gas
flow during motor startup with resulting pressure equalization around
the tube.
Our thanks goes out to Randy Dormans and Rick Maschek for their
dedicated efforts in conducting this test firing.
Here is the ablative tube wrapped in paper insulation (to protect the
aluminum motor casing) and sealed to the dummy midbulkhead:
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/hrnTzuJSFpJpVlfOLITeow?feat=directlink
Here is a view looking down towards the bulkhead
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/cWH4OwLDmxTmXVP-DsHYhg?feat=directlink
BTM under full thrust:
http://www.sugarshot.org/downloads/crw_7106a.jpg
The ablative tube after removal & cleaning:
http://www.sugarshot.org/downloads/img_4808a.jpg
The ablative tube originally looked like this:
http://www.sugarshot.org/downloads/ablative_before.jpg
Thermal label map and results:
http://www.sugarshot.org/downloads/ablative.jpg
The BTM will be fired again in the near future to test the thermal
robustness of a linen-phenolic tube (thanks goes out to Matt Campbell
for procuring the sample tubing).
- Rick Maschek recently flew a rocket with a prototype of a proposed
MiniSShot recovery system. The system was designed to deploy a drogue
chute at apogee. Closer to the ground, the main chute would be pulled
out by the drogue, upon firing of a Pyrotechnic Release Device (PRD)
which would free the main tether. The flight had a safe recovery,
despite inadvertently crossed wiring of the drogue and main charges.
This meant that the drogue was deployed close to the ground when the
main charge fired, and immediately pulled out the main chute, which had
been released (but not deployed) at apogee. As such, the test can be
considered to be a successful demonstration of the underlying principle.
- The data from Ed Mallory's recent flight of the Chute Controller has
been reviewed and further beneficial insight has been gained on the
behaviour of the device. It successfully logged the altitude throughout
the flight and detected apogee. In Hans' words:
"The good part is, that despite of the late trigger, the CC makes a
clean "detection" of apogee. This is the first in flight verification of
its trajectory adaption mechanism."
Here is a link to a video of Ed's recent flight of the CC in Jimmy
Yawn's "Sugar Rush" rocket...it was a beauty of a flight, according to Ed:
http://www.jamesyawn.net/Sentinel-1-17-09/
(huge thanks again to Jimmy for supporting Ed & SS2S)
- Bronze Donor Dan Pollino ( http://www.solidskateboards.com/ ) has made
another contribution to the SS2S program, thanks again, Dan! (ps.
you're nearly at Silver Donor level ;-) )
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To share in our dream, help by making a contribution to the Sugar Shot
to Space program. Expenses have been adding up...!
http://www.sugarshot.org/sponsors.html#Donors
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