"Astron Sprint" Streamer

[SatelliteInterceptor]

I have an built "Astron Sprint" rocket from the late 1970's. It no longer has its streamer. I checked the rocket plans for the Sprint at JimZ's website and the plans state that the Sprint's original streamer was 90 inches in length, by 1 inch in width. 90 inches doesn't sound right to me. Was that a typo in the plans ? If so, what was the length of the Sprint's original streamer ? Please help !

[pantherjon]

90 INCHES!!:eek: That is awfully long! Almost 8 feet(7.5 to be exact) long! Would take a magician some real slight of hand to get that thing rolled up tight enough to fit in a Sprint BT! Gotta be a typo...But then again, looking at the illustration in the PDF of the rocket cutaway, the streamer does appear very long..Still don't see how you can roll 7.5 feet of streamer into a BT-50..Guess it COULD be done, but would be pretty tight...

[Rocketking]

It Does sound like a stretch (pun intended).

In actuality, the streamer material used was the Crepe Paper Orange "Party Streamer" material, so if you want to try for 90" worth in the BT-50, More Power to Ya !

I believe the width was 1 1/4", if memory serves correctly.

[ghrocketman]

90 inches is indeed the correct length !
I measured mine from an opened kit, as well as from the one original I still have flying.
You tape the streamer at the midpoint to the shock cord creating two 45" streamers that you roll separately and stuff in the body tube.

[Bob H]

90 inches is indeed the correct length !
I measured mine from an opened kit, as well as from the one original I still have flying.
You tape the streamer at the midpoint to the shock cord creating two 45" streamers that you roll separately and stuff in the body tube.Correct, I just went and measured one from an opened kit I have also.

The width of the streamer is 1". The crepe paper is much thinner than the "party streamer" material that comes on the rolls. It's more like the higher quality crepe paper that comes in sheets.

[tbzep]

Correct, I just went and measured one from an opened kit I have also.

The width of the streamer is 1". The crepe paper is much thinner than the "party streamer" material that comes on the rolls. It's more like the higher quality crepe paper that comes in sheets.

Uh, oh. Shredvector is soon going to point out the error of your ways. :eek:

[Capt'n Jim]

Wasn't that also a competition rocket for either height or "drag" timed duration so that might explain the long streamer.

[Phred]

I flew my Sprint clone this past Sunday on a Canaroc B4-6 motor, with the full length streamer made from 1.25" party streamer material. I had no problem with either loading the streamer, or ejection. The long streamer made the model easy to track and locate.

[Solomoriah]

Wow, B4-6... I miss them.

[ghrocketman]

I fly my original Astron Sprint almost exclusively on C6-7's....flown well over 50 times and it always comes back as it is easy to track on that 90" streamer.
Every once in a while it gets flown on a vintage B14-7....talk about blink and you will miss it ! :p

[garmtn]

Sounds like your a "streamer advocate." I remember using them as a kid but, nothing as long as 90." What is your recommendation for folding and attaching? Middle of the 90" forming two- legs, folded according style?
My fear is loosing this new rocket. Even though our field is quite large, surrounded by trees. Last launch had some wind gusts and lost a few, including an "E" powered. Considering a small hole top of parachute too. (Launchers fault cause he wouldn't "angle into wind). Thanks Glenn

[garmtn]

Hi GH: some how missed this thread when I wrote u about streamers. After reading it, I seriously am thinking about switching out my chute for a streamer. This rocket has a large body tube, so will accomodate it easily. Thanks, Glenn

[SatelliteInterceptor]

I ran into a guy at a local field that I launch my rockets at. We discussed Streamers vs. Chutes. He said that he got tired of losing rockets, so he switched everyone of his rockets to streamer recovery. He said he'll never use a parachute again. In 30 years, I've never met anyone that has chose this path to go down. I would love to hear everyone's opinions/facts on the idea of totally abandoning parachutes. Did this guy make the right choice ? Thanks.

[ghrocketman]

When using streamers for recovery there are two ways to attach:
1: in the middle of the length; provides slower descent due to 2 tails dragging through the air.
2: at the end; provides greatest visibility; thats how I always see my Sprint during recovery even at 1500'+ with a C6-7.

Streamer recovery allows one to recover the rocket MUCH closer to the launch point even in high winds.
I have used streamers to recover rockets as large as a Cobra-1500 but do not reccommend them on anything larger than about a Cherokee-D or A20 Demon as on larger than that a fin or something usually gets beat up on landing.

Forget about them for "everything" as use on a Mars Lander or Saturn 1B (or other fairly heavy rocket) would result in "trash bag recovery" of a "re-kitted" model.

[tbzep]

If you fly in an area of thick grass, you will have less chance of damage using streamers. I did the same thing with my Sprint for visibility reasons. It doesn't need such a long streamer, but I packed in the longest crepe streamer I could fit more for visibility than to slow it down.

If you fly on hard surfaces, streamers will often cause impact damage. Then again, unless it's totally calm, parachutes will drag rockets across pavement and cause damage too. Pick your poison if you launch near hard surfaces.

[JoeLaunchman]

The Estes Skybolt also came with a 90" streamer, had some heavy landings with it but always found it, about 20 flights.

[ghrocketman]

Yep, remember that from the Skybolt well.
Flew as high as the Cherokee-D and Demon on a D12-7, but you had a reasonable chance at recovery due to the absence of a gigantic 18" chute on a 2oz rocket.

The streamer in the Skybolt and Sprint were the same in LENGTH ONLY.
The Skybolt used a 2"-2.5" wide streamer, whereas the Sprint used a 1" wide streamer.
Not sure if it was 2 or 2.5 on the Skybolt, but will check my original when I get the chance.

[PaulK]

The crepe paper is much thinner than the "party streamer" material that comes on the rolls. Where can one get this thinner crepe paper streamer?

[kurtschachner]

Where can one get this thinner crepe paper streamer?

You have to sand it down yourself.

[garmtn]

We've covered the streamers pretty well. However, I have a 51" 3 engine monster. It does have a 24" chute. Two questions: How long should shroud lines be and should I cut a hole in the top of chute?? Thanks

[ghrocketman]

Sand it down, huh ? :rolleyes:

I like that....yuk, yuk, yuk !

[barone]

We've covered the streamers pretty well. However, I have a 51" 3 engine monster. It does have a 24" chute. Two questions: How long should shroud lines be and should I cut a hole in the top of chute?? Thanks
Optimum effectiveness of the parachute, use shroud lines 1.5 times the diameter of the chute....A hole in the top of the parachute helps to keep the rocket from spinning on it's way down (trapped air doesn't "spill" out the side but instead goes thru the "spill hole". How heavy is the rocket (with empty motor casings)? A spill hole will speed the descent.

[garmtn]

;) Hi Don and thanks 4 reply. I'm going to say this bird is about 6-8 ounces. Glad u told me "shroud line ref. I think mine r too short. First shut I ever used on this thing was an old handkerchief and pretty heavy. Launched it from "Lake Hopatcong", when it was frozen 25 years ago. Weather not looking to promising for Saturday. We'll have to see. Thanks, Glenn :D

[barone]

These web site has a program to help calculate the size parachute you need for a given rocket...

http://www.angelfire.com/co/m2rules/paracalc.html