Airframe components
Name a common body tube material that we use
Fiberglass or blue tube
What is black powder testing?
This is where we ground test the amount of black powder we need for our separations.
What do we use a key switch for on the avionics bay?
To turn on one of the altimeters.
What's the difference between parallel staging and series staging?
In parallel staging, the boosters are on the side. In series staging, the booster is under the sustainer.
What are the names of our president and vice president?
Name one common nose cone shape
Ogive, parabolic, conical, ellipsoidal
What is the name of the smaller parachute that deploys at apogee in a dual-deploy system?
Drogue
How do we calculate stability?
Cg-Cp/Body tube diameter
Why can you reach a higher altitude with a two-stage rocket?
You have double the impulse from two motors and you are shedding mass before igniting the sustainer.
What is the name of our lead engineer?
Robert
What is a coupler?
an internal support component used to join two body tubes of a rocket
What is a shock cord used for?
To keep components of the rocket together after separations occur.
What's the name of the person responsible for overseeing the safe operation of launch vehicles during rocket launches?
Range Safety Officer(RSO)
What is hot staging?
When you use the ignition of the sustainer motor to push off the booster.
What two mentors of ours run the L1 program?
Andy and Nikita
What is the difference between a bulkhead and a bulkplate? (what do we commonly use each for)
Bulkhead
A permanent internal closure that sits fully inside a coupler or tube.
Usually epoxied in place (not meant to be removed).
Seals or separates sections; takes structural loads (pressure for sep., recovery attachments).
Bulkplate
A removable plate that can sit flush or slightly out of the coupler.
Typically screwed/bolted to threaded inserts, U-bolts, or an avionics sled.
Common at the ends of an avionics bay for access to electronics.
How do we estimate how much our rocket will horizontally drift upon descent?
Descent time multiplied by wind speed.
What three things things is the RRC3+ altimeter responsible for controlling in the subscale sustainer?
Drogue and main parachute main deployment and backup sustainer ignition.
For our subscale rocket, what staging strategy are we using(meaning what is causing our rocket to separate)?
Electronics and black powder charge
What is our treasurer's name?
Carter
What is the center of pressure on a rocket, where should it be relative to the center of gravity, and what is one main thing that affects its location in subsonic flight?
-The center of pressure in a rocket is the point where aerodynamic forces are balanced.
-Closer to the aft end than the CG.
-mainly affected by fin geometry/placement/amount and nose cone shape/length
Why do we use a u-bolt instead of an eyebolt to attach the shock cord to the bulkhead?
It distributes the load over a larger area.
What is "dog barf" in rocketry and what is it used for?
Officially known as blown-cellulose insulation and it is a common material used in model rocketry to protect recovery systems from the heat of the rocket's ejection charge.
What is drag separation and what causes it to happen?
After burnout, thrust drops to zero, so the force that was holding the stages together disappears. The rocket begins to decelerate due to drag. This can overcome a friction-fit and separate the stages.
What is the name of our speaker tomorrow?
Fabiana