USLI Flight Readiness Review

Harding University Flying Bison 2010 USLI Rocket Team

Harding Flying Bison Team

Team made up of 16 members with diverse educational backgrounds:

Greg Libby ElizabethHunter Matt G. AprilJosh Lisa DarahChi Patrick Matt I.Meredith Cortney ShailerEd

Organization

Seven Divisions

Airframe Greg, Mgr.Motor Matt G., Mgr.Science Payload Darah, Mgr.Avionics Chi, Mgr.Launch Operations Matt I., MgrRecovery Patrick, Mgr.Outreach Elizabeth, Mgr.Team Official & Safety Officer EdProject Progress Cortney

Mission Statement

• Design, build, test and fly a hybrid rocket• Achieve an altitude of exactly 1.00 mile• Measure gamma radiation as a function of altitude• Measure temperature and pressure• Measure x-, y-, z- acceleration during flight• Done safely with no injuries, no damage to property • Rocket recovered without damage

Airframe

Length 93.55 inches 7.5 feetDiameter 4.09 inchesSpan Diameter 14.09 inchesEstimated Mass 241.39 ounces 15.03 pounds

Airframe

Center of Pressure 72.22 inCenter of Gravity 55.0 1inMargin of Stability 4.30 body calibers over stable

Scale Model Test & Competition Rocket Test

We were not able to do a scale model test as planned because some key supplies were missing.

We found out in the process that our ignition system has become defective.

We are purchasing a new unit.

We plan our full scale test on 21 March 2010.

Thrust to weight motor selection in flight simulation

Average Thrust = 896 NMass 241.39 g + 4173 g = 4.414 kgWeight = 43.31 kg

Thrust to weight ratio = 20.7

Rail Exit VelocityLaunch guide length: 94.0000 In.

Velocity at launch guide departure: 77.2523 ft/s

The launch guide was cleared at : 0.203 Seconds

User specified minimum velocity for stable flight: 43.9993 ft/s

Minimum velocity for stable flight reached at: 31.0498 In.

Parachute sizes and descent rates• Drogue is a 24” Classic II Sky Angle Parachute

• P: Drogue Parachute Deployed at : 18.384 Seconds • Velocity at deployment: 7.3339 ft/s • Altitude at deployment: 5678.14961 Ft.

• Main is a SkyAngle CERT-3 Large.

• P: Main Parachute Deployed at : 119.385 Seconds • Velocity at deployment: 47.5640 ft/s • Altitude at deployment: 799.99344 Ft.

SkyAngle Cert-3 ParachuteProperty Value

Tested Load Capacity 16.2 to 35 lb

Surface Area 57 square ft

Suspension Line 80 in

4 - 5/8" mil-spec suspension lines 2250 lbf

Swivel 1500 lbf

Test plans and procedures

Tensile strength tests run for:

Shock cord – 3/8 in. KevlarU-Bolts – ¼ in diameterKnots – BowlineBulk plates/coupler

Test Configuration

U-Bolts, Shock Cord, Bulk Plates

0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 50

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

Tensile Strength of Shock Cords and Attachments

Extension, inches

Load

, lbf

Maximum Load - 961.66 lbf

Failure at 1000 lbf

Tests stopped after Kevlar cord began to fray at 961 lbf at the knot

The Kevlar shock cord would not have separated until more force applied

Further Required Testing

Full scale flight test - planned for 21 March 2010

Dual deployment avionics test test - planned for 21 March 2010

Ejection charge amount test test - planned for 21 March 2010 Payload integration feasibility – Payload is fully integrated into

the rocket

Payload

• Science payload consists of:

– Flight computer number 1– Flight computer number 2– Embedded microcomputer system– Radiation counter– Temperature sensor– Pressure sensor– x-, y-, z- accelerometers– Battery power supply

Payload

• Science instruments, flight computers, recovery transmitter and batteries fit inside 3.78 in diameter by 12.0 inch long phenolic coupler tube

• Switches ,status LEDs, computer connectors mounted on ring in the middle of the coupler

Payload

• Science Payload Objectives.• Test and calibrate a Geiger-Mueller radiation counter• Interface Geiger counter to embedded controller to operate

the instrument and collect and store the data.• Test the complete instrument mounted in the airframe using

laboratory alpha, beta and gamma radiation sources.• Test and calibrate pressure sensor• Test and calibrate a temperature sensor• Test and calibrate a low sensitivity and a high sensitivity 3-axis

accelerometer

Payload

• State the payload success criteria

Payload success will be achieved if all the sensors perform satisfactorily and data from each is collected and stored in the on-board computer memory.

Science Payload

Payload

Side profile of science payload with circuit boards and batteries mounted

Motor

Contrail Rockets Certified K-888-BM Hybrid MotorDiameter of motor 75 mmLength of Motor 40.0 inchesNozzle mediumFuel Grain Used Black Smokey

Motor

Exit end of nitrous tank showing fill and overfill lines

Motor

Ignition -- Pyrodex Pellets Ignited with Resistors

MotorMotor

ManufacturerContrail Rockets Test Date 22 May 2005

Motor Designation K-888-BM-P Certified Until Indefinitely

TMT Metric Designation

K896(87%) Samples per second 480

Metric Dimensions 76 mm x 1016 mm Burn Time 2.67 seconds

Total Weight 4173 g Total Impulse 2400 Ns

Recovery Weight 3992 g Maximum Thrust 3024.8 N

Fuel Grain Weight 625 g Average Thrust 896 N

Nitrous Oxide Volume

2050 cm3

Tripoli Rocketry Association, Inc., Certification

Motor

Avionics

The recovery subsystem is composed of the following components:

• PerfectFlite MiniAlt/WD to measure and store altitude and deploy drogue and main parachutes.

• DT2x Data Transfer Kit for connecting MiniAlt/WD to computer• G-Wiz MC-2.0 Flight Computer to provide redundant backup of

the PerfectFlite• Nine pin female to female cable with subminiature D

connectors to connect G-Wiz MC-2.0 to computer

Avionics• Software to download data from G-Wiz

• Ejection charges with electric matches to deploy parachutes

• SkyAngle Main Parachute with 57 square feet

• SkyAngle Drogue Parachute with 6.3 square feet

• Shock cord – to be determined

• Walston Retrieval System with Rocket Transmitter, 3-Channel Receiver, and 3-element Antenna

AvionicsDual Deployment Avionics Test

• Test planned for 21 March 2010

PerfectFlite MiniAlt/WD Official USLI Altimeter and Flight Computer

Avionics

G-WIZ MC-2 Backup Altimeter and Flight Computer

Launch Operations

• We plan to assemble the motor ahead of time, so that all we have to do is load the nitrous

• Draft Launch Plan in Appendix A in CDR, Page 29

RecoveryEjection Charge Amount Test

• Test planned for middle of 21 March 2010• Walston Retrieval System for Rocket Locating• SkyAngle 24 in for Drogue• SkyAngle Large Cert-3 for Main

Acknowledgement

We gratefully acknowledge support from

NASA/Arkansas Space Grant Consortium

A part of the National Space Grant Program