"Stripes" was built specifically to try and set the
Bowling Ball "I" Lite Altitude Record
.
It's the same basic design as "Scooby Doo", but with a 38mm body instead
of 54mm.
Construction
The body is made of 2 layers of Carbon/Kevlar hybrid fabric. It was wrapped
with mylar and then heat shrink tape, and placed in a curing oven. This
method creates a smooth, glass-like finish but is a little heavier.
The tapered section below the ball is 1 layer of the Carbon/Kevlar with
a layer of plain weave Carbon on the inside.
The fins are made with 5 layers of carbon and then attached with a tip
to tip layer of carbon (for a total of 7 layers).
Rocket body weight is 6.5 oz.
Total weight without ball and motor: 12 oz.
3/8/2003 CRMRC Ice Launch, Mallets Bay, VT
Motor: Aerotech I284
Altitude: 1981 feet.
Electronics: Adept ALTS25.
Payload: 8 pound bowling ball
Recovery: TopFlight CF-48 (custom), connected
to ball with 1/4" tubular Kevlar
With about 2 feet of ice on Mallets Bay and a waiver obtained by Tony Keller (through UVM) it
seemed the perfect opportunity for a high power launch by CRMRC (local VT NAR section). About as good as it could get for an ice launch, about 35 degrees and
very little wind.
Since the last launch in Cobleskill where the taper section was damaged I straightened it out and reinforced it with a couple layers of carbon.
It was launched with the modified tower (now 16 feet tall and with wheels) and a remote launch system.
It seemed to get up to speed very quickly, and basically had a perfect flight, arching over a little at apogee.
This broke the previous record flight (also by Stripes), altitude was verified by Randy Whitcomb.
To see a very brief video (by Tony Keller) of it leaving the launch tower click here.
9/7/2002 CTRA/NARCONN Invitational launch at Cobleskill,
NY
Motor: Aerotech I284
Altitude: 1933 feet.
Electronics: Adept ALTS25.
Payload: 8 pound bowling ball
Recovery: TopFlight CF-48 (custom), connected
to ball with 1/4" tubular Kevlar
Launched
under absolutely perfect conditions. Warm, and not a breath of wind. Absolutely
straight as an arrow flight. Landed less than 100 yards from the launch
tower.
Altitude verified by Mark Stackpole
and Wayne Anthony
.
On landing I noticed that the taper section (just above body tube) had
a slight crumple. Don't think it happened during ascent because the flight
was so straight. Might have been because I had connected the body/parachute/ball
in a strange way so that force was generated on the lip of the taper section.
Or, it might have been on landing but it seemed to land relatively softly
on the grass.
The taper will need to be rebuilt...
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