View Single Post
  #4  
Old 05-27-2015, 04:46 PM
Sather's Avatar
Sather Sather is offline
Entropy Demonstrator
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Northern Illinois
Posts: 120
Default part 3

(continued from event 6)

6. Simulated events - Other than ejection charges used in normal recovery
deployments, there will be NO pyrotechnics. This is to comply with the NAR Safety
Code, with the added benefit of keeping participation costs down. (Pyrotechnics is
defined as using self-sustained exothermic chemical reactions for the production of
heat, light, gas, smoke and/or sound.)
(a) NASA used a lot of explosive bolts to hold stuff together and separate them in
flight. But not you. Therefore, events that would have been initiated with
explosive bolts must be simulated. However, to simulate the ability to have
engineered the equivalent, fliers are allowed to simulate a maximum of three
“transition events” between flights. i.e., you can jettison a payload shroud and/
or remove a parachute recovery harness from the descent / landing stage if it
would otherwise interfere with the subsequent 2nd launch. Or, if you are using a
the same recovery harness, repacking it would also simulate jettisoning the old.
These events “cost” 3 points each, and must be declared pre-flight, i.e. you can’t
re-purpose the function of the engineering you have intended. However, while
the function of the simulated event must be declared in advance, the point
deduction is not made until the simulated event is accomplished. Therefore, it is
possible to use a simulated pyrotechnic device as a backup to a mechanical
feature that might fail. For example - you have designed a protective clamshell
that should mechanically open on landing. A simulated pyro charge is used as a
backup and declared preflight. If the mechanical device functions as designed,
no pyro device is needed so no points are deducted. If the mechanical device
jams, (picture the Agena Target Vehicle’s gaping alligator mouth), you “blow
open” the shroud with simulated charges and take the three point penalty.
(b) Igniters... the igniter for your second flight must be flown on the first flight,
but isn’t required to be installed in the ascent motor until back on the range for
your 2nd flight. No penalty for complying with this requirement or accomplishing
this event.
(c) Cheese sample scooping... per Rule #4, the rocket must be inspected by the
judge between flights. That is when we plan to distribute the cheese samples, so
no need to add a remote controlled arm or scoop to pick it up. You can just add
it to a suitable payload bay, tape it to the shock cord, etc. The cheese must be
safely recovered after flight #2. We recommend NOT eating the Cheese, as it
was brought back from AMS well in advance of the event and we cannot
guarantee its freshness.
7. Design and operation of the vehicle will be judged prefight. Unique features and
should be described, and simulated events must be declared in advance. No secrets
going in.
8. Only one qualifying series of flights is allowed per rocket. While practice flights are
allowed, the qualifying 1st flight must be identified as such in advance, and the 2nd
flight must follow in sequence. i.e. no “in-between” flights under this mission are
allowed.
9. Some effects are under our control, some are not. We can adapt, i.e. a damaged
rocket may still result in a successful mission. This is a unique challenge, and all
results will be treated as if they occured during an actual spaceflight mission, with
due respect to those failures and successes. Some examples have been listed and
are available as an attachment to these rules. Actual flights may demonstrate
combinations of these.
10. Scoring (124 points possible). Remember, the points will be applied in context of a
real mission.
pre-flight points -
10 points for “Innovation in Design for Flight #1” - unique design features, incl.
landing mechanisms
10 points for “Innovation in Design for Flight #2” - unique design features, incl.
launch guidance mechanisms
10 points for “Quality of Build” (finish, smooth transitions, fillets, motor
retention, structural integrity)
10 “Bank Points” that you can spend - everybody gets 10 to start with, minus
what you used for simulated pyro events
1st flight -
10 points for “Quality of Flight #1” (stability, altitude, duration)
10 points for “Quality of Recovery #1” (recovery device deployment, lack of
damage to rocket and/or pad / platform)
10 points for “Re-launchability” (post-flight repair possible if needed, ability to
re-launch)
2nd flight -
10 points for “Quality of Flight #2” (stability, altitude, duration)
10 points for “Quality of Recovery #2” (recovery device deployment, lack of
damage to rocket)
10 points for “Mission Success” (survival of and return of cheese sample)
Post-flight adjustments -
Bank points - 3 points deducted for every simulated pyro event actually used
Bonus points added for each of the following -
3 bonus points - “On-Range Bonus” - you land on the range and do not
need to be moved other than to reach a set of igniter leads. must be
witnessed by neutral party.
3 bonus points - “Landing Bonus” - you land upright. must be witnessed by
neutral party.
6 bonus points - “Spares Kit Bonus” - you flew adequate supplies to make
suitable repairs between flights, whether or not they were used. shown to
judge in preflight judging. There is no penalty for use of spares between
flights. Also, spares left behind from your return flight may be made
available to other return flights in the event they become “stranded”.
6 bonus points for duration of 1st flight of at least 20 seconds. (i.e. no 1/4A,
lowest flight, closest to the pad, Snitch, etc...)
6 bonus points for duration of 2nd flight of at least 30 seconds. (i.e. no 1/4A,
lowest flight, closest to the pad, Snitch, etc...)
Expanded explanations & examples for Sample Return Mission
__________________
AP used in 2010: 28,044 Ns (36.9% O)
AP used in 2011: 43,488 Ns (6.2% P)
Highest altitude achieved: 21,981' AGL

"Gravity is a cruel and unpredictable mistress"
Reply With Quote