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Highlights of recent developments on the MiniSShot Project
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- Preparations continue for the planned MiniSShot launch set for March
21st. The weather in southern California has improved significantly and
the long-term forecast is optimistic. Matt Campbell is actively
performing focal duties for the search and recovery team that will track
the rocket during flight and retrieve it following touchdown.
- This weekend, Rick's Maschek (with Chris King's assistance) test fired
Randy Dorman's "Blast Tube" rocket motor with "topped off" propellant
grains. These are grain segments in which additional propellant was
added in order to "top off", or more completely fill, the casting tubes.
The test firing was a success.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbIvRnDoOlM
(video courtesy Rick Maschek)
This test clears the way for topping off the propellant grains for the
MiniSShot flight motor.
- Rick Maschek had planned to do a flight of his "Phoenix" rocket as a
proving test of the parachute deployment system. The Phoenix rocket was
fabricated using the motor casing from the first MiniSShot motor test
(ProtoSShot I), combined with the 18" fiberglass tube that Richard had
earlier sent to Rick (for recovery system planning) and a spare carbon
fiber body tube. The nose cone is made of "fire resistant" redwood.
Unfortunately, the flight had to be postponed due to lack of suitable
launch rail at the site.
http://sugarshot.org/downloads/dsc03916a.jpg
- Since the Main Computer did not arrive in time, the avionics proving
flight has been postponed until Saturday March 20th. The plan is to do a
flight of the MiniSShot avionics package in Rick Maschek's Phoenix
rocket. Assuming the test is a success, the MiniSShot rocket will be
prepped for launch, which is planned to occur at around 8AM local time
on Sunday the 21st.
- Knut has kindly designed an advertising Sugar Shot to Space "handbill"
to be distributed at promotional events. Greg Wallace, who owns a
printing company, has generously donated his services to print up a
supply of these handbills.
http://sugarshot.org/downloads/handbilla.gif (side 1)
http://sugarshot.org/downloads/handbillb.gif (side 2)
(note that NPO status of Sugar Shot to Space is still pending)
- Next Saturday, Richard will be doing a presentation at the University
at Buffalo North Eastern Conference of Space. The presentation will
cover amateur rocketry in general, as well as the Sugar Shot program.
http://www.ubseds.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=146&Itemid=90
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Donations are urgently needed to fund the Non-Profit Organization
application
process. We need your support. http://www.sugarshot.org/sponsors.html#Donors
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Project
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