Project
301 Flight

Construction

• Rocket bodies were constructed out of 3" cellular ABS with eight 1/2" holes drilled in the top to accommodate the tracer smoke.
• Fins were made out of 3/16" balsa wood laminated with poster board on either side. Two fin sets were joined together in the middle to make a fin section which was suspended from the aft end of the rocket by 3/16" wood dowels.
• The smoke and ejection assembly was improved, see drawing here, to incorporate the forward bulkheads in one unit.

Pros

• Easy to construct.
• Plenty of room in this design for a payload bay to be added in the future.
• 10.53 lbs.
• The smoke and ejection assembly incorporated the forward bulkheads in it's design.
• Launch rail worked well.

Cons

• New lightweight fin sections failed almost immediately.
• 65/35 fuel mixture is still too strong for current engine casing.
• Still too heavy.

Pictures

• Fin sections.
• Fin sections with 3/16" wood dowels.
• Either side of the smoke and ejection assembly showing the smoke igniter.
• Nosecone in mold.
• Smoke charges.
• Completed smoke and ejection assembly.
• End caps on engines.
• 3" ABS rocket bodies.
• Reinforcing 1/4-20 bolts in end cap.
• Wet Pour Stone covering reinforcing bolts forming end cap.
• Smoke and ejection assemblies vacuum sealed to prevent fuel from absorbing moisture.
• Engines vacuum sealed to prevent fuel from absorbing moisture.
• Painted rocket bodies.
• Engines with foam rubber insulation before insertion into rocket bodies.
• Rocket body with engine nozzle and fin section bolts.
• Finished rocket bodies without fins.
• Smoke vents, rail guides and ignition wires.
• First flight.
• Second flight.
• Third flight.

Video

• First flight.
• Second flight.
• Third flight.
• Fourth flight.
• Fifth flight.

CAD Drawings

• 301 rocket design.
• 301 smoke and ejection design.

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