More Amazing Onboard Video

Announcing High-5

Presenting my latest project, High-5, a five motor cluster that goes HIGH!! It is 100% high-power, able to fly on I's J's and K's, no less. This is my first build that cannot be flown as a model rocket.

Physical description:

• Central 54mm motor mount (for I through K motors), and 4 outboard 29 mm motor mounts (for G's and H's)
• 70 inches long, 4 in diameter inches at the nose base, down to 3 inches, back out to 4 inches at the "business" end
• Should be able to carry 8 oz of payload (like cameras, transmitters, altimeters) to over 5000 feet!
• Projected weight: 8 pounds (with maximum power)
  
• 2 or 3 stage configuration (a small onboard timer ignites outboard motors at a preset time interval after ignition)
• Estimated completion date: May, 2009

I've been working on it for a couple months now, and already it is beginning to take shape!

Amazing Onboard Video

I was searching through YouTube for some videos of high-power rocketry and I found some of the coolest onboard video I've ever seen on a rocket. There's nothing to say about it that accurately depicts how cool it is, so instead of babbling on and on I'll just show it to you:



Followed by a close second:

Tripoli Minnesota October Launch

All in all I'd say it was a nearly perfect day. The ONLY problem was that Exporter 2000's video camera failed. Again. I did a few diagnostics afterword and have concluded that the batteries come loose under the acceleration. I tried turning off the camera while recording, but the video worked up to that point. Then I tried taking the batteries out while recording, and that's what deleted the video! So despite my optimism I am still left with only video from the ground (which isn't all that bad though).

Here's video of Exporter 2000 with both motors burning strong:



I also flew Spare Parts Spaceship (SPS-1) on a G80. That is the most powerful single use model rocket motor on the planet! I was a little worried about stability, but it flew pretty straight. Here's the video:



I finally got my editing software to work (Windows Moviemaker, a not-so-good program), so here's a few of the awesome rockets flown on Saturday. There were some great flights, including a J-motor drag race, a long burn K-motor, and a rocket that went almost 2 miles high!



And here's one other video that I found on You-Tube. Someone had started a rocket club for the U of M, and some photographers and videographers were at the launch putting together a story for the MN Daily. I'm in the background of the video searching for something I lost in the grass.



That's my claim to fame. If you want to read the story for the MN Daily, click the following link: http://www.mndaily.com/2008/10/11/u-rocket-club-tries-lift

Launch Tomorrow!

I don't think I ever posted this, but I launched Exporter 2000 in our own sod fields fairly recently. For some strange reason the onboard video failed again! I've been brainstorming possible problems, I have just finished redoing the payload bay for tomorrow's launch. I've got a really good feeling about the launch tomorrow. I'm dying for onboard video!!

I will also be flying a new rocket called "Spare Parts Spaceship" built out of spare rocket parts I had on hand. It doesn't have a paint job yet, so I'll post a picture of it later.

Anyway, here's the video from a couple weeks ago: