Project Overkill Build log (Estes #9716 Star Orbiter)

[BEC]

Your thread was what inspired me to build this one! Can I ask, why so many altimeters on one flight? Do you have pictures? I feel like I'm basically at capacity with a single telemetrum so I'd love to see how you crammed all of that into a similarly sized e-bay.

I'm hoping the -6 works tomorrow. If I had a -8 I'd go that route but since the sim says I'm good I think I'm gunna go for it with the -6. The other thing is my model is considerably heavier because of all the fiberglass and epoxy so I'm assuming i'd want an earlier ejection than a stock star orbiter. Closed out the top and bottom of the rocket this morning.

Putting final touches on the ebay today and then it's go time!

I was doing some comparative altimeter testing to give some info to one of the makers. Here are both sides of the 1/8 balsa "sled". Altimeters were mounted with small nylon screws and nuts, and the ION's LiPoly cells were held with velcro. The FS Mini was just stuffed in beside the others in its little pouch. Multiples of the other two were to wash out any individual quirks on any given flight.



Dealing with all the beeps post flight was pretty crazy, but I eventually downloaded the data from all of them so I could keep it straight.

For you I agree a 6-second delay will be enough, since your model is simming to only about 60% of the altitude of a stock Star Orbiter on an F15.

 

[sr205347d]

The other thing is my model is considerably heavier because of all the fiberglass and epoxy so I'm assuming i'd want an earlier ejection than a stock star orbiter.

What the F15 will need is some “help” getting it off the pad:
Thread 'Not Enough Thrust from BP?'
https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/not-enough-thrust-from-bp.184476/

 

[Art Upton]

What the F15 will need is some “help” getting it off the pad:
Thread 'Not Enough Thrust from BP?'
https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/not-enough-thrust-from-bp.184476/

Well, today I am glad it is better then the FSI F7

 

[jhill9693]

Ok people, I’ve been hard at work on this one. Over the last few weeks I got the tubes fiberglassed, filled and sanded and they are now perfectly smooth. View attachment 608265

Fiberglassing was a real adventure. My first one the ends started to warp and I got freaked out so I pulled the shrink wrap off while the epoxy was still wet. This gave me a super terrible finish. Luckily I was smart and started with the top tube (the one without the fin slots) so it was as simple as doing another 18” BT-60 tube which I already had on hand and had purchased enough glass to mess up twice. The second one did better though the shrink wrap tube was kinda a PITA. For the last one (with the fin slots) I went with the fiberglass sleeve but did a regular milar wrap and this gave me the best surface finish and will be my method going forward.

Once everything was glasses, I mixed up some epoxy with body filler, filled the low spots and sanded it back. Now they are perfectly smooth and ready for primer:
View attachment 608266

The other thing I’ve been working on is the e-bay. As I said, I wanted to do a fully 3D printed e-bay for this rocket. It took a couple of iterations but I finally am happy with the result:
View attachment 608267

View attachment 608268

View attachment 608269

Lastly, I got the switch ring cut and epoxied to the e-bay tube tonight:
View attachment 608270

Once this is cured (tomorrow) I’ll use my 3D printed hole jig to get the sheet pin and removable rivet holes drilled and I’ll finally be able to joint the upper and lower halves!

View attachment 608271

Next is motor mount and fins. I think I’m going to do one layer of tip to tip glass on them just for added strength but not go too crazy.

That’s a nice sled design. Mind sharing the STL for it? Also where did you source the pull pin?

 

[R3verb]

That’s a nice sled design. Mind sharing the STL for it? Also where did you source the pull pin?

Of course! Here's the pins:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B082ZP313B/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

And here's the link to the ebay sled:
https://www.printables.com/model/769160-model-rocket-e-bay-sled/files

Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions!

 

[R3verb]

She flew for the first time! Honestly, a perfect flight. It was a great flight on an Estes F15-6 motor.

Here's a link to the flight on YouTube:

Here's the stats:




The only "failure" was that the rocket never made it above 800'. It simmed to 885' but the launch rod felt a bit sticky (I'm assuming my alignment of my lugs isn't perfect) so I assume that's what accounts for those 100'. Since it didn't hit 800' and the telemetrum is set to deploy the main at 800, it deployed apogee and main at the same time. Not a big deal since everything worked but I would have loved to have seen the delayed main release. I set the telemetrum to 500' for the main for the next flight so we'll see how that goes.

Based on how well everything did, I'm tempted to go for my L1 with this rocket. I think with how overbuilt it is, it should survive an L1 motor for sure.

There's another club launch this weekend so I'm hoping to get another flight on it. Thanks for all the advice on this thread!

Casey Levinger