L3 Countdown

Super! Another rocket buddy! Thanks

ABORT ABORT ABORT

The following photos are at the Northern Colorado Rocketry Atlas site near Ault, CO on Feb 2, 2007. The intended launch was subverted by a previously unflown, brand new, but seemingly defective backup altimeter.

The altimeter seemed to have passed all the intial setup tests and responded correctly to the programming of the set points. However, after the altimeters were powered on and the shunts removed from the charges, we had a premature deployment of the backup charges. This occured about 15-20 seconds after enabling the charges, while we were trying to listen for the optimal 3 beeps from each altimeter. The drogue deployment went off first, while I had my ear to the avbay, with John Nelson supporting the rail. Fortunately the fin can section stayed on while the rest of the rocket left the rail followed immediately by the backup main charge being deployed (since we were obviously below 1000 feet elevation). Both chutes came out clean, an otherwise great deployment, not often seen this close by the spectators.

The picture seconds before everything came apart on us:

…and right after:

We figured that maybe we had triggered the sensors by lowering the launch rails down while the altimeters were armed, so I went ahead and prepared additional charges, and reassembled the rocket for another try. We tested the avbay with the charges armed outside the rocket for over 30 seconds and the backup altimeter and charges seemed to be behaving properly. Once the rocket was back on the pad, I powered the altimeters on, and once we were getting the correct number of beeps (the shunts give the same beeps as the charges in this mode) we connected up the ignitor to the K560W. I enabled the charges and stepped away from the pad. While we were standing fairly close by getting ready to check the continuity of the ignition system, The backup drogue charge went off again, followed by the main. Again the tail section stayed on the pad. I think the nose cone got to 30 foot elevation, the avbay and the rest of the airframe landing hard on the cement pad of the Atlas site. Wind speed was about 10mph in both instance, and the primary charges remained intact the whole time. I’m very thankful we had a slight delay in actually launching it, because if this rocket had separated during the thrust phase, instead of on the pad, it would have been destroyed.

Here we are, leaving it vertical this time, but to no avail:

Back at home, I cleaned the black powder residue off the interior of the airframe, cut 1″ off the middle airframe section and 2 inches of the forward airframe (nose cone) section. I will be returning the altimeter back to the manufacturer, and doing another attempt at shakedown flight on March 1st. THEN, maybe I’ll paint it.

Here’s part of the damage from falling on the concrete:

I’d like to thank Art, Bruce, John N., Tim, Joe, and all the other NCR members who helped get the pad setup and to help me get the rocket prepped (Both times).