Astrodynamics

To accompany a class I'm taking right now, I decided to do a video series on astrodynamics. I'm eating this class up since it is my first *real* space class. Sometimes the best way to dig deep into a subject is to teach it. That's where YouTube comes in to play. This is sort of a "Rocket Science 102" course. Enjoy!

My First LDRS -- In 31 Seconds!

This is basically just a photo dump from my trip, put to some accelerated Gustav Holst, with a surprise at the end. Enjoy!

Rocket Science 101 -- Quiz 1

100 Subscribers!

My YouTube channel has just crossed 100 subscribers. I post all kinds of videos from rockets to programming. Check it out!

http://www.youtube.com/user/DTHRocket

Fail. Again.

I was able to get off work for this Saturday for this month's Tripoli MN high-power rocket launch. The plan was to try and certify level 2 again, since I failed my first attempt last month.

I'll cut right to the chase and tell you I failed once again.

I swore that my system was fool-proof. It was super simple: a large 10-lb rocket on a large sparky J-motor that would go to 2000' in altitude and land gently on the field under a 72-inch parachute. No dual deploy, no electronics, no rocket hunters, nothing fancy. Just the basics. What could possibly go wrong?

The parachute got stuck inside the rocket, that's what. It came out just fifty feet above the ground, giving us false hopes that the rocket would survive, and we thought it did. But a tent in front of my view blocked the fact that the rocket separated, and the rocket was rather damaged.

I'm not as disappointed as I could be, however. Because I can still continue to fly level-2, and with a 15% discount for certification attempts!

Here's the video:

Pictures and Video!

I love Skidmarks.

Hybrid M-motor that never went :(

He's probably thinking "Not my day..."

From this --^

To this --^

Stinger on the pad.

Watch JPL Assemble Curiosity

You can watch the Jet Propulsion Laboratory put together the new Mars rover named Curiosity, via continuous live feed from a webcam overlooking the clean room. Check it out!



If the embedded player doesn't work, click this link:

http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl

Humorous Clip

Just Passed 50,000 Hits on YouTube

I think I've been doing pretty well on YouTube. My 27 uploaded videos have been viewed cumulatively over 50,000 times now, and I have attracted 34 subscribers. My highest viewed video has over 15,000 views (and unfortunately isn't even one of the rocketry ones). I hope to continue my work on YouTube to promote aerospace engineering and amateur rocketry.

http://www.youtube.com/user/DTHRocket

"You Stuck It WHERE!?" Short Film Contest

My family has been getting into filmmaking little by little. This summer we won an honorable mention for "Best Special Effects" for a short film competition featuring the library. Now we are planning on making a film for Post-It Super Sticky Notes. The point of the contest is to see if Post-It Super Sticky Notes can go where other notes can't. What would be a better proof of its ability that to post it on the side of one of my rockets?

I'm probably going out on a limb announcing this, since the deadline is the end of August! That doesn't give us much time to make the film, but it's only supposed to be a maximum of two minutes.

Here is the video we made for the MELSA "Quiet on the Set!" short film competition:

Radio Control

I've just recently gotten into radio control (after years of wanting too) with this Eagle Eye helicopter. It's already been a great learning experience, so using my infant knowledge of RC, I'm planning on tackling yet another ambitious project... but more on that later. I won't be able to do much flying of anything until spring.

This helicopter was designed to carry a small micro-transmitting video camera, which is giving me all the more insentive to purchase that Booster Vision GearCam. And, using my 72 MHz transmitter, I'm toying with the idea of rigging a system for being able to manipulate and aim the camera from the ground.

But nothing is going to happen yet, because I am on a new schedule. I recently started to go to public school full time, and while this is excellent preparation for college (especially since all my classes are honors classes), I have no more time for tinkering and rocket-building.

Selah.

Video From the Ground

I managed to post the video from my perspective. I'm still kicking myself that the onboard video didn't work. Anyway, here's the flight: