LionTech Rocket Labs Project Phoenix 2011-2012

1. LionTech Rocket LabsProject Phoenix 2011-2012 Flight Readiness Review

2. Speakers • Russell Moore …………………………………………………………………Project Manager • Adam Covino…………………………………………Co-Project Manager/Payload Lead • Tony Maurer……………………………………………………………………….Structures Lead • Matt Hanna………………………………………………………………………..Structures Lead • Eric Gilligan……………………………………………………………………………Avionics Lead • Lawrence DiGirolamo…………………………………………………………….Avionics Lead • Heather Dawe …………………………………………………………………..Propulsion Lead • Rob Algazi………………………………………………………………………….Propulsion Lead • Brian Lani………………………………………………………………………………Payload Lead • Brian Taylor…………………………………………………………………….Systems Engineer • Tom Letarte………………………………………………………………………....Safety Officer • Megan Kwolek…………………………………………………………………Financial Officer

3. Structural Overview • 4.5 inch diameter G12 fiberglass • Modular design to simplify assembly, redesign, and repair • Redundant motor retention system

4. Fin Brackets • Allows for easy replacement of damaged fins • Allows experimentation of fin design (to alter the CP and therefore Static Stability) • CNC machined aluminum • No epoxy or other permanent bond • Screws into fin and through body tube

5. Motor Retention • Machined aluminum forward motor retainer • Attaches to motor casing via bolt • Screwed into airframe • No epoxy or other permanent bonds • Acts as an avionics bay aft bulk plate and main parachute anchor point • Aeropack motor retainer is used for redundancy

6. Structural Testing • A tensile test of G12 fiberglass provided verification that the forward motor retainer would function safely. • A factor-of-safety exceeding 20 was measured. • Failure occurred as planned, signaling that proper manufacturing processes were used

7. Structural Changes Made • Removal of Tailcone • Availability of new motor reduced need for drag reduction • Manufacturing knowledge and contacts gained for future use • Redundant motor retention remains through the use of a traditional flange motor retainer (far right) [aeropack.net/motorretainers.asp]

8. Propulsion • Final Motor Choice • Animal Works L777 • Total impulse: 3136.62 N • Peak thrust: 1000.16 Ns • Burn Time: 4.05 seconds • Average thrust: 774.47 N Animal Works L777 Motor Casing

9. Propulsion • MotorSelection • Maximumheight • Desired Apogee: 5000-5280 ft. • AMW L777 Apogee: 5256 ft • Effects on structural integrity • Dry mass :21.3 lbs • Loaded mass: 29.4 lbs • Length: 89.75 in • Rail exit velocity • Safe rail exit velocity > 50 ft/s • AMW L777 rail exit velocity: 54.8 ft/s • Maximum Velocity • Max velocity must be < 1089.23 ft/s • AMW L777 Max velocity: 640 ft/s • Drift • Max drift < 2628 ft • Drift due to wind speed chart

10. Propulsion Motor Choice Progression

11. Full Scale Flight Results

12. Avionics & Recovery Aft Forward GPS Transmitter PerfectFliteStratologger(Altimeter 1) 9V Altimeter Battery Rotary Switch (Altimeter 1) PerfectFliteStratologger(Altimeter 2) 9V Altimeter Battery Rotary Switch (Altimeter 2) Note: Not pictured is a Faraday cage to prevent GPS Transmitter RF interference from unintentionally igniting e-matches.

13. Avionics & Recovery Forward Main Parachute Containment Harness Tender-Descender CD3 Ejection System Black Powder Ejection Canister Terminal Blocks Aft

14. Avionics & Recovery • Apogee • CD3 CO2 ejection device • Black powder ejection charge • Drogue is released and main is held within the airframe by the main parachute containment harness. • 750 ft AGL • Tender-Descenderreleases the main and the drogue pulls it out of the airframe and deployment bag. • The drogue and nosecone then completely separate from the main and booster section Tender-Descender [AeroconSystems.com] [Adapted from EuroRocketry.org]

15. Avionics & Recovery • Apogee • Nosecone • Descent Rate: 103.7 ft/s • KE:635 ft-lbs • Booster • Descent Rate: 103.7 ft/s • KE: 3340 ft-lbs • 750 ft AGL • Nosecone • Descent Rate: 13.1 ft/s • KE: 89.29 ft-lbs • Booster • Descent Rate: 13.1 ft/s • KE: 53.3 ft-lbs • 20 mph Wind Drift • 2240 ft

16. Avionics & Recovery • Maryland-Delaware Rocket Association Launch (Price, MD) • Saturday 3/10: • Failure Mode: Intricate deployment scheme with a lot of recovery harness resulted in tangling of chutes/harness. Main parachute did not fully deploy. • Mitigation: Reduced amount of harness by separating the vehicle into drogue/nosecone and main/booster sections at 750ft AGL. No longer have a cord connecting the drogue and main lines. Bag stays with drogue. [Adapted from EuroRocketry.org] [Adapted from EuroRocketry.org]

17. Avionics & Recovery • Maryland-Delaware Rocket Association Launch (Price, MD) • Sunday 3/11: • Failure Mode: At apogee, black powder ejection charge impinged on the Tender-Descender, igniting the b.p. charge inside. This released the main parachute and separated the vehicle into the two sections at apogee, resulting in excessive drift. • Mitigation: Lengthened the black powder ejection canister such that impingement on the Tender-Descender was not possible. This was tested at the High-Pressure Combustion Lab three times with positive results. Tender Descender Black Powder Ejection Canister

18. Avionics & Recovery • Team Ohio Rocketry Club (TORC – South Charleston, OH) • Saturday 3/18: • Failure Mode: At apogee, the drogue was released and the main parachute containment harness went taut. The main chute deployment bag protruded from the airframe approx. ~4 in. Later investigation determined that this protrusion allowed the bag to invert its orientation, exposing the open end of the bag to the airflow, which could then pull the chute and bag apart. • Mitigation: The main parachute containment harness is being shortened such that there is no protrusion of the deployment bag. In this configuration, it is highly unlikely the bag could reorient itself.

19. Avionics & Recovery 1. Bag protrudes ~4” • Team Ohio Rocketry Club (TORC – South Charleston, OH) • Saturday 3/17: • Failure Mode: At apogee, the drogue was released and the main parachute containment harness allowed the deployment bag to protrude from the airframe approx. ~4 in. This protrusion allowed the bag to bend and invert its orientation, exposing the open end of the bag to the airflow, which then pulled the chute and bag apart. • Mitigation: The main parachute containment harness was shortened such that there is no protrusion of the deployment bag. • Recovery system worked successfully on 3/25 at Mantua Township Missile Agency (MTMA – Middlefield, OH) 2. Pressure forces bag to flip 3. Open end exposed, turbulent air pulls main out

20. Payload Objective: • Set forth by NASA Science Mission Directorate • Collect following atmospheric data: • Pressure/Temperature • Relative Humidity • Solar Irradiance • Ultraviolet Radiation

21. Payload • Hollow aluminum core bolted to forward and aft bulkplates • Electronics and wires easily accessed by removal of L-brackets • Structurally secured by high strength steel all threads • Steel to resist impact damage • Wooden bulkplates with threaded inserts in forward plate to attach to nosecone • Wood instead of G10 fiberglass to minimize failure points

22. Payload Single Payload System Schematic

23. Payload Primary Components: • Arduino Pro 3.3V/ 8MHz – Programmed microcontroller for each measurement system. • XBee 900MHz Transmitter – Transmits data collection to ground station. • High Altitude Sensing Board (HASB) – All encompassing weather board. • Ultraviolet Sensor – Measures harmful UV-A and UV-B radiation [www.sparkfun.com]

24. Payload Payload Mission Architecture

25. Payload Scientific Value: • Determine stability of atmospheric boundary layer • Analyze collected information to profile atmospheric boundary layer • Construct Skew-T Log-P diagram of boundary layer diagram to determine weather severity Temperature Dew Point Pressure (bars) Isotherms (Celsius) [www.met.psu.edu]

26. Team Safety • Entering Operational Phase of Project • Focus on launch safety • Identification of new personnel hazards • Assembly and Safety Checklists for use at launch • Help ensure safety and rocket success

27. Risk Analysis

28. Educational Engagement “Involve the entire Penn State USLI team in multiple, quality outreach events engaging the surrounding elementary, middle and high school’s in Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics topics.”

29. Cost Summary

30. Conclusion • Structural Components selected and tested • Flight tests and ground tests fixed cause of recovery error • Finalized motor selection • Testing and modeling confidence in vehicle performance parameters for successful flight for competition