Boosted darts

[Bruce R. Schaefer]

Warren, that is cool! 🙂

[Anonymous]

The motors you guys are referencing were very specific motors, though – with elaborate thrust curves, etc. There was also a research group out there that routinely flew M’s w/ ~1kg payloads to over 100K. I don’t think that with off-the-shelf motors we can expect to pop something to 40 miles AGL, nor can we expect to triple the current TRA “M” record. If it were doable, there are guys in TRA who’d have done it…

I personally believe the most astounding and unreachable TRA record now is the M — something like 34-35K. That is an amazing boost.

BTW, I was surprised to read that the “real” Loki boosters went unstable after the dart escaped?!?!? That would be interesting… something that big and fast starting to tumble. Whattamess!

[Warren B. MusselmanModerator]

No recovery plans for those boosters either… they just came straight in – ideally tumbling or spinning, but ballistic as well.

Warren

[Bruce R. Schaefer]

Knowing and witnessing that JW went 23K plus and into the four-mile club last year, what is the altitude record for NCR? Just curious… and how high can NAR members go towards the 30K waiver? Was it 25K?

[Warren B. MusselmanModerator]

John Wilke still holds the maximum NCR altitude record with his L shot at MHM last year – 23K+. We’re hoping to significantly increase that record this year. I have an L bird and if I get around to doing my L3, we might have an N bird that will put a hurting on it.

Warren

[Bruce R. Schaefer]

Good to know, Warren. Thanks. We have that altitude limit…. might as well reach for it. 🙂

[Conway StevensParticipant]

Hmmm. I know a little someone that will try his best at increasing that number as well.. N motor did you say…….

[Warren B. MusselmanModerator]

Speaking of N motors, there are NO official NCR altitude records for that impulse class. Since you and Art are the only ones who have flown N motors at NCR launches, one or the other of you should put in for an altitude record.

Warren

[Anonymous]

I have an L bird and if I get around to doing my L3, we might have an N bird that will put a hurting on it.

Warren

C’mon in, the water is fine 🙂

I’ll say this… it has been really hard for me to eclipse 20K. I got parts up there three times, all without clean recovery. Then last year I had some luck and actually made it over 20K three times, all with perfect recovery.

The sims are not nearly as trustworthy when you get up there, either. My L rocket simmed to almost 30K, and the three times I flew it, I got similar results, the best being the 23,404′ at the N site. The K250 I had simmed to 25K and I got 20,716′.

I’m curious how many clean recoveries we’ve had over 15K out there?

[Bruce R. Schaefer]

Well, JW, I’m sure we’ll have a number of attempts this year, and we can keep track of them. 🙂 Just a few quick points… why didn’t the Loki darts use cones instead of ogives? Cones are ideal at the many times Mach that bird had to fly. And, why four fins instead of three… four fins add more drag than three? Of course, with the Judi or Loki Super boosters, I guess they really weren’t trying to optimize things. They had enough power at hand. Of course, adding that extra fin cuts down on the fin span (drag) needed for each. John, with what you said about sims… you’re right. You can calculate all you want, but once the fire is lit, a rocket is gonna do what it’s gonna do. 😉

[Author]

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