http://www.aircommandrockets.com/polaronG2.htm#_171013
I've also included a video of how we reinforce the spliced bottles with fiberglass. All the fiberglassing is now done so next we need to do some pressure testing on the segments. We have also been making progress with the new launcher we are building for the rocket.
Here is a mockup of the final rocket configuration, with the boosters just taped to the side because the retention mechanisms are not finished yet. ... we're going to need a taller ladder, or use the tree.
15 comments:
Wow that's a big rocket. Looks great!
Thanks Nathan. The rocket stands a bit taller than what we were expecting, so we're going to have to think of a way to turn everything on at the top because we won't be able to reach it with the ladder on the day.
Wow, thats the water rocket version of the SaturnV or SLS .. its big.
How much pressure are you planning to apply to rocket and boosters?
Hi nunohp, The final targetted pressure for both main stage and boosters is 250psi (17 bar). Although initially it will be 210psi for the first launch. If everything goes well we'll increase the pressure on subsequent launches.
Hey George,
That is and incredible looking rocket, there is certainly a lot of it anyway :)
Look Forward to seeing it go!
Regards Doug
Thanks Doug, We're having to re-think some of the logistics for this one. If we can, we would like to launch it a couple of times at least on the day, but it means having to bring around 40 liters of water to the launch site, and hope we don't have to abort a launch and lose the water. Because of the amount of air the rocket uses, we may also need to bring a second scuba tank.
Should be good fun though :)
Could this possibly be the worlds largest water rocket? Just imagine it. In the front of news papers around the world... 'Worlds largest water rocket launches in Austraila'... :) Anyways, what size nozzles do you plan on using for the boosters? Good luck.
Hi Reptiglorand,
Could this possibly be the worlds largest water rocket?
Not even close! There are quite a few out there that are significantly bigger. I've been talking to one chap that is building an absolutely huge one with his scouts.
The final nozzle size is still to be determined for the boosters. We may try for something smaller first like 16-18mm, but eventually the plan is to use the full bore nozzles for the boosters. It all depends on how well the new launcher will work and how much acceleration there is going to be. We don't want very high acceleration as it puts too much stress on a lot of the components.
Just on the off chance you do have to abort could you not have the abort valve vent into some form of reservoir to prevent losing a majority of the water?
Hi Doug, It's certainly a possibility to try to capture the water, but it's probably easier just to bring extra. When we've had an issue with a booster previously and needed to lift it up out of the launcher, the water just drained through the nozzle. The tubes inside the boosters emerge above the water level so we can't drain them through there.
Hi George,
Just a quick one, was watching TV the other day and your Acceleron V appeared! Its a program called You Have Been Warned if you didn't know about it :D
Regards Doug
Thanks Doug, :)
Although it was a UK production, they also screened it here in Australia at the end of December. They contacted us almost a year ago now, and I had been answering some of their technical questions about the rocket as well over the past several months. I had also sent them a clean video without any of our overlays because they wanted to add theirs. But we didn't know how the segment would turn out as we didn't know how they wanted to edit it. All good fun though. :)
Any updates on this beast?
Hi Nathan,
Yup good progress has been made recently. The rocket and launcher are just about ready. The maiden flight is scheduled for the Thunda event in March. So about 8 weeks away.
Eu fiz esse foguete de dois estágios:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AsArET_Ipo
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