Mars Snooper Upscale

Okay fellow rocketeers, I'm getting pretty bored with all the rant and rave posts here. I just want to build rockets!

I'm toying with the idea of building a BIG Mars Snooper. I have been sitting here looking at my estes original that I built back in the sixties. I really need to paint it someday:) and I was thinking of building one with a 98mm 1st stage motor and a 75mm (or 54mm 2nd stage). I think it would also be pretty cool to use 3 54mm motors in the pods if possible. Possibly use the 54's (or go to 75mm in the pods) to get it in the air, then light the 98 and then the 2nd stage.

Any of you "Engineer" inclined types out there up to a real design challenge? I'm not in any hurry on this, since this is a fairly complex and expensive project. I just think it would look fantastic to be able to launch a bird like this. I really need some input on the structural problems involved as well as electronic and recovery ideas.

All ideas and serious replies will be considered.

Thanks in advance

Bill Ellick

Yea I am a TRA and NAR member, but lets face it - this is going to be one heck of an experimental !

Reply to
Bill Ellick
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I think putting motors in the pods would be marginal at best. The pods are very far from the centerline, and any thrust imbalance would push the rocket from vertical. If the motors in the pods were canted to point at the C/G that would be a big help. But again IMHO putting engines in the pods is asking for trouble. It's just bad ju-ju.

Wedge Oldham

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Reply to
Wedge Oldham

However if you used CTI insta-ignite motors it might very well work better than any other combination might.

Reply to
Jerry Irvine

Mmmm...bad ju-ju....

Zooty

Reply to
zoot

Bill, Talk about ambitious OMG the possibilities though. The use of the pods is not an easy one to work out as any slight off of alignment could cause catastrophic failure and a LOOK OUT from all. I have tried this on a

24/18mm scale in past and was not to successful but I kinda slapped it together in a weekend too. I wish you the best in this and let us know where and when the launch is. Gotta see this one go.

Reply to
Dale Martin

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Reply to
Jerry Irvine

this may sound absurd, but suppose the engine was actually internalized, with the thrust ducted to the pods

haven't seen anything like that at LDRS!

it would handle the balance issue

- iz

Reply to
Ismaeel Abdur-Rasheed

I would LOVE to see all three pods burn off from 6000 degree ducted fluid flow :)

And that was tech Jerry

Reply to
Jerry Irvine

Reply to
Wedge Oldham

C'mon, Wedge. That show alone might be worth the price of admission. ;-)

Reply to
Kurt Kesler

The safety code protects you from wacky ideas like this. Rejecting it at the RSO table is just silly.

Reply to
Jerry Irvine

Heck, I might as well just put all the parts in a pile and set fire to them now rather than try that. I have been playing with the stress factors involved with trying to use power in the pods, as well as the alignment issues and have become fairly convinced that it would be too much trouble. Now maybe using smoke canisters in the pods set off at 1st stage burnout might give a very interesting effect wouldn't you think? I really need to come up with something different for this bird if I am going to spend this much money and time to build it. Not that the engineering for this as a 2 stage rocket isn't a project in itself!

Bill Ellick

Reply to
Bill Ellick

Smoke pods or mere blackjacks since they are wimpy anyway.

Jerry

Reply to
Jerry Irvine

Which safety code do you follow?

Reply to
Colour Coded

Didn't you know that jerry is "exempt" from the laws of man!

Reply to
Dave Grayvis

would you RSO a rocket that used thrust vectoring to maintain steady course despite a motor failure within the cluster?

awesome project, BTW:

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- iz

Reply to
Ismaeel Abdur-Rasheed

Smoke Charges in the pods is a good idea. Airstarting long burn low thrust motors like the 38mm H73 might also work with a large 75mm in the main section.

Reply to
Wedge Oldham

What about something like John Pursley uses with actual gimballed motors for his scale model. The only problem I see with his ystem is that after burnout you lose control.

Bob Kaplow NAR # 18L TRA # "Impeach the TRA BoD" >>> To reply, remove the TRABoD!

Reply to
Bob Kaplow

This is why the model needs to be at least 'somewhat' stable, once the motor's propellant is expended. Otherwise the model will begin to tumble.

1/2 caliber positive stability is probably sufficient.

Of course, some folks might see tumbling as a feature, not a bug.

Reply to
BB

NARAM 41 Vanguard gimballing detail

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thanks for the tip, Bob

- iz

Reply to
Ismaeel Abdur-Rasheed

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