PDA

View Full Version : New Contest - Starships


Carl@Semroc
10-04-2011, 12:08 PM
This is a pre-announcement of a planned SAM contest. During the next several months we will release the Starship Vega, Starship Excalibur, Starship Correy (what's that?), and a new one to be designed by a SAM.

Rules are sketchy right now. Design must be in Rocksim format so we know we can build it and that it is stable. It must use our standard parts, except fins, rings, nose cones, transitions, decals (what is left?) which will be custom. It should be something that looks like a starship (whatever that is.) Only SAM 's can enter designs.

The winner, as selected by a public vote here on YORF, will get #6-#25 production kits, 10 unnumbered kits AND will get to name the starship (within reason, we get a veto.) Starship Eagle3.... Starship McGraw... Starship tbzep... Starship McLawhorn... (well that's a dream, I would not win anyway!)

Other members can be added to the family. Suggestions?

Eagle3
10-04-2011, 01:38 PM
Cool idea Carl. It will be nice to see all the entries in this category since futuristic designs are some of my favorites. Quick questions,
Does it have to be a brand new design or one you created and already posted here on YORF?
Is there a limit on number of entries per SAM?

Buzz

Eagle3
10-04-2011, 01:50 PM
Hi Carl,

A few more questions and comments. First, I forgot to mention it in my first post, but that is a very generous prize for the winner! I can just imagine the participation that should create.

Questions;
Does the entry need to be built and flown successfully?
What documents, photos, etc need to be included along with the rocksim file?
Any hints on what the Starship Correy looks like?

Carl@Semroc
10-04-2011, 02:01 PM
Cool idea Carl. It will be nice to see all the entries in this category since futuristic designs are some of my favorites. Quick questions,
Does it have to be a brand new design or one you created and already posted here on YORF? I don't think ANYTHING is new (at my age) so it could have already been published by its designer.
Is there a limit on number of entries per SAM?Had not thought about that. but it should be a manageable limit like 3-5.

Does the entry need to be built and flown successfully?
What documents, photos, etc need to be included along with the rocksim file?
Any hints on what the Starship Correy looks like? It will have to be flown before release! We will probably use the Rocksim generated file for voting. Finalist(s) will need to provide more detail.

It was going to be the Starship Tinsley.

A Fish Named Wallyum
10-04-2011, 03:31 PM
Will there be a curve? :D

DaveR
10-04-2011, 04:18 PM
Will there be a curve? :D
:chuckle: I'm with Bill on this one

wilsotr
10-04-2011, 04:22 PM
Any physical limits, i.e., size, weight, motors?

CPMcGraw
10-04-2011, 04:56 PM
...Starship Eagle3.... Starship McGraw... Starship tbzep... Starship McLawhorn...

WOW! I'm touched!

(OK, everyone knows I'm already touched... in the head... :D )

Deadline?

Engine (power) range? One might also presume...only engines that actually exist in the wild?

Cool idea, Carl!

sandman
10-04-2011, 05:42 PM
If I won I'd name it Starship McLawhorn. :rolleyes:

Do I get extra points for that? :D

Gus
10-04-2011, 06:05 PM
Hi Carl,
Any hints on what the Starship Correy looks like?

My Guess

BrianURocket
10-05-2011, 06:07 PM
It all sounds great to me. Let us know Carl when you have all the details !

jtaylor
10-05-2011, 09:54 PM
That sounds like a really cool idea, Carl, and a real fun contest. Makes me wish I had some design skills.

jharding58
10-06-2011, 01:01 AM
I may not have time to design at the moment but sign me up for two of each -Vega, Excalibur, and whatever wins. By the way, I love cutting tube lengthwise...

Will you be trading the Excalibur's solid balsa crew compartment for a folded sheet version? And what was BFS-80, 1/4 inch?

Carl@Semroc
10-06-2011, 11:31 AM
I may not have time to design at the moment but sign me up for two of each -Vega, Excalibur, and whatever wins. By the way, I love cutting tube lengthwise...

Will you be trading the Excalibur's solid balsa crew compartment for a folded sheet version? And what was BFS-80, 1/4 inch?
Plan is for 1/4" laser cut.

Carl@Semroc
10-06-2011, 11:32 AM
My Guess
You are in the ballpark. Was going to be Starship Lee Correy. Sheryl said too long. ;)

Chas Russell
10-07-2011, 10:07 AM
When I saw the name Stareship Correy my first thought was of G. Harry Stine's non deplume. I have a paperback copy of his "Space Doctor", copyright 1981 that I found in a library book sale. My "to read" list is as long as the kit building quque.

Chas

DeanHFox
10-07-2011, 02:54 PM
You are in the ballpark. Was going to be Starship Lee Correy. Sheryl said too long. ;)So long as you include a decal for "SS Fafnir" along with "Correy", so we purists can be accurate to GHS's original naming of the vehicle. :p

The SS Fafnir was, technically, not a starship --- she was an interplanetary cargo vessel. The heroes of GHS's Starship Through Space, Walt & Don, rode her between Mars and Earth. Once on Earth, they joined the ranks of "Project Thunderbird", man's first attempt to build a true intersteller ship.

The Vittoria, the actual starship of said story, wouldn't make much of a model rocket --- she was shaped, according to GHS's description, like an oblate spheroid. The model I have of her (much like a quasi-triangular flying saucer) would seem to confirm that thinking. ;)

The GHS vehicle I've wanted to build for a number of years is the SS Latona, from "Rocket Man" --- a beautiful 50's "cigar shape with delta wings and front canards" --- just haven't had time. Somehow, this design was overlooked in The Spaceship Handbook (or they just ran out of space to include her)...which is sad, I think she's got ever so much more beautiful lines than the SS Athena from "The Day the Rocket Blew Up", which did make it into the Handbook. :)

Much looking forward to these releases, Carl! You might want to consider offering a kit of the DOM Starship Excalibur, too --- that's a beautiful bird, too!

L3Excalibur
10-09-2011, 02:20 PM
This is a pre-announcement of a planned SAM contest. During the next several months we will release the Starship Vega, Starship Excalibur, Starship Correy (what's that?), and a new one to be designed by a SAM.

PLEASE tell me you are talking about the REAL 'Startship Enterprise' (based on Estes Free Plan # 55) and not that watered down kit with the same name.....

Buzz McD.

BEC
10-09-2011, 02:24 PM
You might want to consider offering a kit of the DOM Starship Excalibur, too --- that's a beautiful bird, too!

Dean - reread the first post in the thread. It's coming (and even though I've assembled most of the bits to clone one, mostly from Semroc, I'm really looking forward to it).

Carl@Semroc
10-09-2011, 02:40 PM
PLEASE tell me you are talking about the REAL 'Startship Enterprise' (based on Estes Free Plan # 55) and not that watered down kit with the same name.....

Buzz McD.
Buzz,

You scared me! We could not afford the license for the Enterprise. It is the P55 version that is in the works.

A Fish Named Wallyum
10-09-2011, 02:52 PM
PLEASE tell me you are talking about the REAL 'Startship Enterprise' (based on Estes Free Plan # 55) and not that watered down kit with the same name.....

Buzz McD.
Enterprise? :confused:

BEC
10-09-2011, 03:11 PM
I'm with Bill......"Enterprise"? You mean Excalibur, of course.... Plan #55 (http://www.spacemodeling.org/JimZ/eirp_55.htm)

jharding58
10-09-2011, 03:58 PM
Hey Carl,

What is the design serving as your Avatar?

Eagle3
10-12-2011, 01:35 PM
Carl, new question.

Will we be able to make modifications to current Semroc parts in the design?

Carl@Semroc
10-12-2011, 06:22 PM
Carl, new question.

Will we be able to make modifications to current Semroc parts in the design?
Yes, within reason. We will probably not release new tubes diameters. It has to be within the limits of our tools. I would expect that any design would use (possibly) new nose cones, fins, rings, etc.

James Pierson
10-16-2011, 10:26 PM
Things that make you go Hmmmmmmmmmmm. Starship Pierson...kinda catchy isn't it...lol :chuckle:

P.S. How about a Star Fighter contest...more my style ;)

James Pierson
NAR# 77907

Tau Zero
10-16-2011, 11:01 PM
Yes, within reason. We will probably not release new tubes diameters. It has to be within the limits of our tools. I would expect that any design would use (possibly) new nose cones, fins, rings, etc.Given your wide assortment of tube sizes, I think there's *plenty* of them to work with.

*Some* people might even use Centuri, Estes, *and* FSI tube sizes in the *same* design.


--Not that I actually *know* any of those people. (mock innocent look) :eek: :rolleyes: ;) :D

Cheers,

Tau Zero
10-16-2011, 11:03 PM
Things that make you go Hmmmmmmmmmmm. Starship Pierson...kinda catchy isn't it...lol :chuckle:

P.S. How about a Star Fighter contest...more my style ;) I'm kinda partial to your Bat-Jets. ;-D

Cheers,

CPMcGraw
10-17-2011, 11:45 AM
...*Some* people might even use Centuri, Estes, *and* FSI tube sizes in the *same* design...

(Scribbling this down...)

Hmnn, mixing tubes from different companies into one design... :rolleyes:

What an interesting concept... :D

... ;)

Tau Zero
10-17-2011, 01:03 PM
(Scribbling this down...)

Hmnn, mixing tubes from different companies into one design... :rolleyes:

What an interesting concept... :D

... ;)Like I *said*:

"--Not that I actually *know* any of those people. (mock innocent look) :eek: :rolleyes: ;) :D "


I rest my case.
.

CPMcGraw
10-18-2011, 09:36 PM
...Craig takes the bait...

Actually, I had someone else in mind who I was hoping would nibble...

...But he wants to do "Star Fighters"... :D

Tau Zero
10-18-2011, 10:18 PM
Actually, I had someone else in mind who I was hoping would nibble...

...But he wants to do "Star Fighters"... :DSheesh! (rolling eyes)

What's *with* that guy? :eek: ;) :D
.

CPMcGraw
10-19-2011, 12:34 AM
In case some haven't noticed, I've posted a very up-to-date BTDATA.CSV file in the "RockSim Asylum" area. I took all of the available tube sizes from the SEMROC tube page and made a few minor adjustments.

Here's the message with the file. (http://forums.rocketshoppe.com/showpost.php?p=131731&postcount=33)

CPMcGraw
10-20-2011, 07:57 PM
I'll send in the first recon mission, to test the waters... :rolleyes:

This is the Starship Proxima II, and I tried to work in a bunch of parts that Carl has been adding to the catalog over the past two years. The nose cone is a special cut based on a couple that Carl turned for me some time back, and for which I did post at least one model for.

New components:


BC-1178-SP -- a compound blend of a BC-1052, a balsa PPB, and a TR-711.
BC-1149-O -- Series 11, 4.9" long, ogive.
BC-2708-E-SPX-FR -- A bulkhead more than a nose cone, Series 27, 0.75" long, elliptical; has four mounting holes for the forward crew module.
BC-2708-E-SPX-S -- Series 27, 0.75" long, elliptical; has six holes to fit ST-2 tubes.
BC-2708-E-SPX-224 -- Series 27, 0.75" long, elliptical; has two holes to fit ST-9 engine tubes.
ST-1120 -- Series 11 tube, 2" long.
ST-2780 -- Series 27 tube, 8" long.
Fin sheets.
Truss strips; 0.05" matteboard.
A centering ring.


Length: 46.93"
Diameter: 2.70" (ST-27)
Fin Span: 12.20"
Weight: 7.5 oz


(2) D12-5......750'......Dv 8 FPS....3/16" x 48" Launch Rod


So far, only the D12-5 is recommended. Using these for power, the rocket needs 34" to reach safe flight V, so I opted for the longer rod. Recovery is by three 16" parachutes. Touchdown V is 12 FPS.

I'm sure the design could be tweaked a bit to wring out some performance, or to clean up any weak areas.

Share and Enjoy!

CPMcGraw
10-26-2011, 12:15 AM
So, the Starship Proxima II didn't elicit any responses. It was a complex idea that developed over time, and which I'll admit, wasn't gnawing on my own fingers for attention. Maybe this one will spark some comments, even though it's not a "true" starship.

Back in 2007, at least according to the design date in the revision field, I posted this "Fighter Style" ship with an ST-10 main body. So, since older original ideas are acceptable for this contest, I thought I'd dust off the cobwebs and make it a bit larger for a proper SLS size bird...

This is the SLS Empyria. It uses an ST-20 main body, consisting of two full 18" tubes for the fuselage. The canopy is a pulled clear polycarbonate 0.02" thick over a master made from a couple of BC-13 nose cones. Engine cowls are built up from balsa sheet. I even managed to simulate an angled panel in RockSim, which shows just how far an idea can be taken if you really want it bad enough. It also shows that RockSim could be made to render such panels with proper dialog controls.

New components required:

BC-20104 nose cone, ogive, series 20, 10.40" long.
Fin sheets.
Engine cowl sheets.
Intake and exhaust fins sheet.
Canopy.
Rings.


Here are the specs:

Length: 47.90"
Diameter: 2.04" (ST-20)
Fin Span: 14.05"
Weight: 9.6 oz

Flight simulations:


F23-7......1285'......Dv 29 FPS......Requires 34" of rod length.
F20-7......1487'......Dv 32 FPS......Requires 29" of rod length.


I'm calling out the 1/4" launch rod for this one. Use a 48" length.

Share and enjoy!

Eagle3
11-11-2011, 05:53 PM
Nice designs indeed Craig. I can imagine this will be a very tough contest to win. I have a prototype designed and ready to build. Looking forward to seeing the rules firm up.

foamy
03-27-2012, 08:31 AM
In another forum I heard mention of an email Semroc had sent out and this contest. Did I miss a scoop? Status update?

Buckaroo44
03-27-2012, 10:32 AM
Last week there was an email from Semroc announcing the latest kit releases. The announcement was actually a link to the latest "Semroc Minute" on their website. At the bottom of that message was an announcement about the starship series and the upcoming contest. No additional details about the contest, I think Carl plans on using this forum to host/run it. If you aren't signed up to receive updates from Semroc then you would not have gotten the email.

foamy
03-27-2012, 02:56 PM
snip... If you aren't signed up to receive updates from Semroc then you would not have gotten the email.

Thank you. I appreciate the info.

Tau Zero
03-29-2012, 09:51 PM
Any more entries besides Craig's two? :confused:

Just wondering... :eek: ;) :D :cool:

hcmbanjo
03-29-2012, 11:24 PM
I'm going to enter!
Just tonight I was playing with a few pencil sketches.
I'd rather wait until we see some contest rules before I commit to cutting tubes and balsa.

RandyT0001
03-30-2012, 03:45 PM
I'm waiting for firm rules.