Ye Olde Rocket Forum

Go Back   Ye Olde Rocket Forum > Work Bench > Scale & Sport Scale Rocketry
User Name
Password
Auctions Register FAQ Members List Calendar Today's Posts Search Mark Forums Read


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1  
Old 08-18-2017, 12:35 AM
blackshire's Avatar
blackshire blackshire is offline
Master Modeler
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Fairbanks, Alaska
Posts: 6,507
Default Aphelion Orbitals rockets

Hello All,

A new space company, Aphelion Orbitals (see: http://aphelionorbitals.com/our-company/ ), is developing a sounding rocket called Trailblazer and a nanosatellite launch vehicle called Feynman, which are designed with future reusability in mind. Both vehicles utilize new manufacturing technologies and uncommon design concepts, such as LOX/methane propellant and the aerospike engine, and both would make interesting scale model rockets (in the Concept Scale category). Links to more information on both vehicles are included below:

Trailblazer:
http://www.google.com/search?q=Aphe...1k1.C3fnTw7zFhI

Feynman:
http://www.google.com/search?q=Aphe...1.O 6zNfB-k5KE

I hope this material will be helpful.
__________________
Black Shire--Draft horse in human form, model rocketeer, occasional mystic, and writer, see:
http://www.lulu.com/content/paperba...an-form/8075185
http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6122050
http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6126511
All of my book proceeds go to the Northcote Heavy Horse Centre www.northcotehorses.com.
NAR #54895 SR
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 08-18-2017, 01:41 AM
LeeR's Avatar
LeeR LeeR is offline
Retired with Way Too Many Kits
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Colorado
Posts: 3,222
Default

Cool! And the Trailblazer has fins! Thank you Aphelion Orbitals!
__________________
Lee Reep
NAR 55948

Projects: Semroc Saturn 1B, Ken Foss Designs Mini Satellite Interceptor
In the Paint Shop: Nothing! Too cold!
Launch-Ready: Farside-X, Maxi Honest John, Super Scamp

Last edited by LeeR : 08-20-2017 at 08:06 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 08-18-2017, 02:00 AM
blackshire's Avatar
blackshire blackshire is offline
Master Modeler
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Fairbanks, Alaska
Posts: 6,507
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by LeeR
Cool! And the Trailblazer has fins! Thank or Aphelion Orbitals!
That's their rocket that most interests me, for that reason and also because of its unusual first stage/second stage length *and* diameter ratios.
__________________
Black Shire--Draft horse in human form, model rocketeer, occasional mystic, and writer, see:
http://www.lulu.com/content/paperba...an-form/8075185
http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6122050
http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6126511
All of my book proceeds go to the Northcote Heavy Horse Centre www.northcotehorses.com.
NAR #54895 SR
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 08-18-2017, 09:33 AM
tbzep's Avatar
tbzep tbzep is offline
Dazed and Confused
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: TN
Posts: 11,610
Default

They need to change its name. Trailblazer has already been used on a 6 stage rocket that studied reentry. It had 3 stages to lift (Honest John, Nike, Lance) and 3 stages (T-40, T-55, Cygnus 5 motors)pointing back down to accelerate small spheres of various materials into the atmosphere. The more powerful Trailblazer 2 had two lifting stages (Castor and Lance) along with two strap-on Recruits, and 2 downward firing stages (Altair and Cygnus).
__________________
I love sanding.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 08-18-2017, 09:34 AM
tbzep's Avatar
tbzep tbzep is offline
Dazed and Confused
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: TN
Posts: 11,610
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by blackshire
That's their rocket that most interests me, for that reason and also because of its unusual first stage/second stage length *and* diameter ratios.

It's a modern day SPEV!
__________________
I love sanding.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 08-19-2017, 05:11 PM
blackshire's Avatar
blackshire blackshire is offline
Master Modeler
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Fairbanks, Alaska
Posts: 6,507
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by tbzep
They need to change its name. Trailblazer has already been used on a 6 stage rocket that studied reentry. It had 3 stages to lift (Honest John, Nike, Lance) and 3 stages (T-40, T-55, Cygnus 5 motors)pointing back down to accelerate small spheres of various materials into the atmosphere. The more powerful Trailblazer 2 had two lifting stages (Castor and Lance) along with two strap-on Recruits, and 2 downward firing stages (Altair and Cygnus).
A few names have been reused over the years. Also, there was even at least one seven-stage Trailblazer 1 round. Its seventh stage wasn't a rocket motor, but a tube (essentially, a smooth-bore gun) filled with tetryl explosive, with a metal disc "artificial meteor" on top of the tetryl charge. (Professor Fritz Zwicky's Aerobee-lofted artificial meteor experiment of October 16, 1957 [an earlier attempt using a V-2, on December 18, 1946, failed] resulted in the first man-made objects ever to escape from Earth. His three "guns," mounted 120 degrees apart, each contained a shaped charge and a metal liner, which functioned as an explosive-formed projectile. One of these artificial meteors attained a speed of 33,000 mph--far in excess of escape velocity.)
__________________
Black Shire--Draft horse in human form, model rocketeer, occasional mystic, and writer, see:
http://www.lulu.com/content/paperba...an-form/8075185
http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6122050
http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6126511
All of my book proceeds go to the Northcote Heavy Horse Centre www.northcotehorses.com.
NAR #54895 SR
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 08-19-2017, 05:20 PM
blackshire's Avatar
blackshire blackshire is offline
Master Modeler
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Fairbanks, Alaska
Posts: 6,507
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by tbzep
It's a modern day SPEV!
If you happen to have any parts for Apogee Components' original (pre-Tim Van Milligan, when founder Ed LaCroix had the company; I believe Eclipse Components got those later) competition model rocket kits--in particular, the "ogive frustum" transition adapter--you could definitely use an Aphelion Orbitals Trailblazer model for that purpose.
__________________
Black Shire--Draft horse in human form, model rocketeer, occasional mystic, and writer, see:
http://www.lulu.com/content/paperba...an-form/8075185
http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6122050
http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6126511
All of my book proceeds go to the Northcote Heavy Horse Centre www.northcotehorses.com.
NAR #54895 SR
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 08-19-2017, 09:19 PM
Scott_650 Scott_650 is offline
Master Modeler
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 624
Default

The transition isn't quite right but the LOC NORAD would make a pretty close approximation in HPR . Is an ogive style transition available from BMS or Semroc/e-rockets? Otherwise you could fab one from a nosecone .
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 08-19-2017, 09:26 PM
tbzep's Avatar
tbzep tbzep is offline
Dazed and Confused
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: TN
Posts: 11,610
Default

I just meant that the short and fat first stage reminded me of the Estes SPEV.
__________________
I love sanding.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 08-19-2017, 10:57 PM
blackshire's Avatar
blackshire blackshire is offline
Master Modeler
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Fairbanks, Alaska
Posts: 6,507
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott_650
The transition isn't quite right but the LOC NORAD would make a pretty close approximation in HPR . Is an ogive style transition available from BMS or Semroc/e-rockets? Otherwise you could fab one from a nosecone .
I wasn't familiar with that kit, but I just looked it up, and I see what you mean! Some NASA Orion sounding rocket rounds also have those proportions (which Aphelion Orbitals' Trailblazer also has), where the motor section is much shorter than the narrower payload (or second stage, in the Trailblazer's case).
__________________
Black Shire--Draft horse in human form, model rocketeer, occasional mystic, and writer, see:
http://www.lulu.com/content/paperba...an-form/8075185
http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6122050
http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6126511
All of my book proceeds go to the Northcote Heavy Horse Centre www.northcotehorses.com.
NAR #54895 SR
Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:46 AM.


Powered by: vBulletin Version 3.0.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Ye Olde Rocket Shoppe © 1998-2024