The Modacity Space Race

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Freelancer

Seriously though, once you finish V2 make V3 a multi-engine rocket... Did that in Cadets with these little toy motors, wired up an ignition fuse into three different rocket motors in a custom made rocket... It just exploded on the pad but it was still pretty cool!

---

Yes, absolutely!

This was the very first thing that crossed my mind. With a multi-stage rocket, you'll be able to go so much farther. You would probably want some experience in digital circuits, though, to create a time delay for the second and third stages to detach and light. Otherwise, you could risk the entire thing blowing up.

Yea, our rocket was just in a:
OO
.O

Arrangement and all wired to fire at the same time, not in stages... Probably why it just blew up on the pad, so much force right off the bat.

You're really just asking for failure if you have multiple small engines firing at the same time. For one, although you can ignite them at the same time, they might light a few ms apart, which can leave your rocket spiraling out of control. Another problem would be the immense heat generated by the engines all at one time. Even if it launches, it could blow up mid-flight.

Multiple rockets firing at once also doesn't give you much of an advantage in distance. They provide a ton of thrust, yeah, but they all burn out at the same time. If you make your rocket with multiple firing stages, it should keep a constant velocity until the last stage burns out.

Just get a fucking JATO and strap your rocket to it.

build concrete launching pad.


set off 90 rockets covered in tinfoil.


watch as the airforce scrambles jets.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jcap

Yes, absolutely!

This was the very first thing that crossed my mind. With a multi-stage rocket, you'll be able to go so much farther. You would probably want some experience in digital circuits, though, to create a time delay for the second and third stages to detach and light. Otherwise, you could risk the entire thing blowing up.

---

Actually, I think with these kinds of solid rockets that the delay is controlled mechanically/chemically via a slow-burning fuse. Been awhile since I last built one myself, so things might have changed.

It's been a long time since I've done it and I don't remember how, but there is some way in which you can stack them and stage the ignition.

Slow-burning fuses that are set up to burn consecutively is the trick, dont ask me about where to get them though.

I have a coil of firework fuses, do those burn hot enough to ignite them?

stacked multiple stage rockets are easy. just get the right motors.

These are all ~10 year old motors I found in my closet.