(Part 3) Top products from r/rocketry

I got started with friends, just going out and launching some kits a friend had built. Then I thought I should get my own to have some time, in case we did it again. I meant to just get a few pre-made rockets so I wouldn't have to do any building or mess anything up.

I went on Amazon, and saw a rocket called Der Red Max by Estes - it's in this video several times. It's a classic Estes rocket that's red and black and styled a bit like the Red Baron's airplane. It was so cool looking, and was only 17 bucks, but it required assembly - something I was nervous about. But they only had one left, so I bought it, carefully read the instructions, and put it together, and it turned out looking beautiful. Once I launched it, and it worked and flew so well, I was hooked.

From there, I started reading stuff online. There is a TON of information and resources out there. A good website to ask questions is The Rocketry Forum (TRF) - especially the beginner's section. There are a lot of experts there who will help you out.

There are lots of ways to start, but I recommend starting by getting something called a launch set or launch kit. With this, you get a rocket (or two), plus a launch pad and launch controller for less than you'd pay buying these things separately. I didn't have one right away, since I was using a friend's equipment, but I wanted my own, so I got one. I gave the rocket away to a kid who came to a launch, but I still have the pad and controller.

Several rocket companies, particularly Estes and Quest Aerospace, have these. My own recommendation is to start with Estes, as it's the most prevalent company, and you can get everything you need through them.

You can get an Easy To Assemble ("E2X) or Ready-to-Fly kit, or if you want to do some assembly, you can get what's called a Skill Level 1 kit. These are not difficult, but require a bit of cutting, sanding and gluing, and the ability to read and follow directions.

The Launch Kit gives you everything you need to get started except motors - sometimes called "engines" (doesn't matter - they make the rocket go up) - and recovery wadding. You'll need some of that (there's other stuff you can use - cheaper stuff, too, but when you're just getting started, it's the easiest).

Get the kit, follow the instructions, and buy the motors recommended on the package. Read and follow the National Association of Rocketry (NAR) Model Rocket Safety Code. This will help you avoid hurting yourself or someone else, which could put you off the whole thing.

Go out and launch your rockets. Then, when you've inevitably decided you want to do more and know more, check out TRF, and get yourself a copy of The Handbook of Model Rocketry by G. Harry Stine and Bill Stine. It's required reading. Won't tell you much about how to assemble kits - they all come with instructions anyway - but it will help you understand the important basics of the hows and whys of model rockets.

I've got a blog in which I've been detailing my learning process of building and launching rockets over the last six months, and I also try to pass on information to people just getting started - rocketry for beginners by a beginner - so that they can maybe learn from my mistakes. Check it out, if you want to, and send me an email, and I can send you some more information if you'd like.

This is a really fascinating, fun hobby, and there's so much to learn. It can get really sophisticated and amazing - I like to tell my friends "it's not just for Webelos any more."

Edit: Oh, and if you're already past the part of building and launching a couple rockets, then I'd get that book and head straight for TRF - those are the next logical steps, I think.

Edit #2: Here's a more detailed post on launching your first rockets.

Are you asking about purely the shape? This is actually an exceedingly hard and narrow topic of interest. Specifically, mostly military in nature.

The best open literature resource I have found regarding this top is Simmons' book: [https://www.amazon.com/Rocket-Exhaust-Plume-Phenomenology-Simmons/dp/188498908X]

There's a huge piece of the puzzle that is based on radiation - excitation of species (dependent on propellants) in the exhaust plume and the associated spectral emissivity. It helps that you have one piece of the puzzle, the engine side (geometry, operating conditions, propellants, exhaust gas properties (from simulation)). The other piece of "visual properties" then depends on what type of detector you are using -- human eye, IR detected, space based detector. Then you have to account for attenuation of the different spectral lines in the atmosphere.

> is there anyway to calculate, for example, the total length of the plume?

Here you is where you start to ask, "as seen by what/whom?".

Of course, a great place to start is to just approach as a purely gas-dynamics problem. Even then you are starting to get into turbulence modeling due to mixing with ambient air at some downstream point. If you are approaching this problem, I would start simple (ignore all the hard stuff and improve from there).

Programming is a great background to have, but as you wander into the realm of CFD (fluids-physics based programming), I recommend reading up on numerical methods and modeling! The resource I used was an old purple-covered book about Numerical Methods in Fortran. Modern day resources are likely both more accessible and up-to-date. Coding is one piece, numerical methods is another piece, computational fluid dyanmics (representing physics/fluids with equations) is another piece. It's a long and fun road, good luck.

One interesting story that is brought up in the plume identification problem from space-based detectors is: How do you distinguish between a rocket launch and an oil-pipeline fire? Hydrocarbon/Oxygen|Air combustion products are similar and bright. One instance of this was when US-based space-detectors identified a large rocket launch out of a foreign territory that turned out to juts be a large oil fire. Obviously modern improvements have been made, but interesting cross-over phenomena.

A little late on this one. But Von Braun: Dreamer of Space, Engineer of War was a solid read.

Edit: Also, if you are interested in more space race stuff, this book is one of my favorites, Red Moon Rising: Sputnik and the Hidden Rivalries that Ignited the Space Age

In addition to joining the clubs as others have mentioned, Apogee has a ton of great information and videos for people just getting into rocketry.

My advice, start small with an Estes kit. Not one of the plastic ones that you snap together, but one of the ones with the wooden fins that you have to fully assemble. Personally, I like the Hi-Flier. All you need is the kit, some white glue, and patience.

Also, look for recommendations on Apogee's website or on their excellent Youtube channel.

I just looked at this for a 29mm Cesaroni motor. I'm going to switch over to a 29mm motor mount. I think I'll just use a 29mm one grain F load instead of adapting to 24mm. I'll definitely try that in OpenRocket! I would never use balsa for fins :^ ) You caught me. The 1/8" 1sq ft G10 stock is a bit pricey at $27.00 per unit, so I think I'll go for this if that sounds good.

I have both and are pretty in depth.

https://www.amazon.com/Saturn-V-Flight-Manual-Nasa/dp/1607964724/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1OC7GSS4KZ2TZ&keywords=apollo+flight+manual&qid=1566181287&s=gateway&sprefix=apollo+flight+%2Caps%2C144&sr=8-2
https://www.amazon.com/Apollo-11-Flight-Plan-Final/dp/1945701102/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1OC7GSS4KZ2TZ&keywords=apollo+flight+manual&qid=1566181348&s=gateway&sprefix=apollo+flight+%2Caps%2C144&sr=8-1

Got them off Amazon

This is an awesome book for scratch building rockets:
https://www.amazon.com/Model-Rocket-Design-Construction-Exciting/dp/0890245614/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=Timothy+S.+Van+Milligan&qid=1571886499&s=books&sr=1-3

https://www.amazon.com/Saturn-1967-1973-Apollo-Skylab-Workshop/dp/0857338285/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=haynes+saturn+5+workshop+manual&qid=1567495926&s=gateway&sprefix=haynes+sa&sr=8-1

Not very practical for amateurs ,but it is one of my favorites

Failure is Not an Option by Gene Kranz is an excellent memoir of the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs.

A single 7.2 v/2000 mAH NiMH battery pack will consistently light 3 Estes igniters, no problem. This is a 3000 mAH, but for illustration: https://www.amazon.ca/Tenergy-3000mAh-Battery-Tamiya-Connectors/dp/B0037U35SO/

Get the opposite Tamiya connector as well, connect it to the battery terminals on the Estes controller and done. I just use an elastic to hold the controller + battery together.

Go look up sugar/candy motors.


This book is a decent place to start - http://www.amazon.com/Still-Have-All-My-Fingers/dp/0983523029

Ignition! by John D. Clark.

It's also linked on the subreddit sidebar.

This is a launcher

You need it to turn the engine on. You will also need a pad.

They are both essential

https://www.amazon.com/Space-Propulsion-Analysis-Design-Website/dp/0077230299/ref=sr_1_1

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My coworker has it.

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Ditch the PVC holders and terminal blocks. Just put a hole through the bulkhead large enough for electric match wires.

When you prep for flight, run the ematch leads through and connect them to your altimeter. Plug the hole with the sticky stuff sold for attaching posters to the wall and put your charge into the corner of a plastic bag, stuff the match head down in, fold it over and wrap it with masking tape.

FWIW, I got the poster putty idea from Kent Burnett, the guy who designed the Talon.

If $32 is breaking your bank you're going to be in for a world of pain with rocketry.

https://www.amazon.com/80-20-Inc-T-Slotted-Extrusion/dp/B001F0K4KA