I will be there tomorrow, but no kids!

Great day today .. some great progress ..

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The new nosecone .. thanks to Ken .. looking great. Foaming the inside of the outboard nosecones.

Putting on an epoxy coat to protect the fins. Main tube on the rotisserie after faring coat in foreground.

Parts galore ..

Thanks everyone!!

Looks good!

Wow looks awesome, can't wait to see this thing fly!

Couple questions - what weight glass did you use for the main tube and how many wraps? and the plywood bulkheads 1/2" or 3/4" plywood?

Thanks and great build. -Sean

Wow looks awesome, can't wait to see this thing fly!

Couple questions - what weight glass did you use for the main tube and how many wraps? and the plywood bulkheads 1/2" or 3/4" plywood?

Thanks and great build. -Sean

Thanks Sean .. it's been a blast .. I can't wait either, this will be awesome .. no matter what happens! 🙂

We used one wrap of 7.5 oz, sanded it smooth, and then one wrap of 6 oz. This is what I had on hand. Next time I would go much lighter. Maybe 6 oz then 4 oz. On this rocket, the internal frame/structure/mm assemblies provide all the strength needed. The tubes are just skin going along for the ride.

For the last step we applied a faring coat of epoxy mixed with a faring compound (makes it easier to sand) and let it rotate on the rocket rotisserie to keep it from running .. it came out awesome!! That's the dark tubes you see in the pics. We still have to do that to the 3rd stage.

All the bulks, C Rings, stringers/spars are 3/4" cabinet grade ply from Home Deport.

It is VERY heavy! .. but I like low and slow, so it's right in my wheelhouse.

Steve

You got the weekend off my loyal crew .. unless you want to drop in on me here in Wheat Ridge. I brought almost everything home and will be working on stuff every night after work and all weekend .. unless I decide to actually have some fun and attend the Trip Colo launch on Sunday.

Met with James today and we worked out all the ebays, outboard mounting, and recovery setup. I should also get the finished tubes primered this week.

Steve

I hope ours looks this good...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46862918/displaymode/1247?beginSlide=1

Got the outboard attachment done today and cut the fin slots on the booster. Started sanding as well but got tired 😉

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Outboard attachment. A strip of wood w/ T-Nuts is inside the outboard and bolts are run through from the main tube. I'll have washers on the Bolts. There will be some additional support on the outside as well .. which will match the real Proton. There are notches in the main motor assembly to allow the outboards to be attached to the main tube before sliding it over the motor/fin assembly.

Outboards bolted on w/ nosecones (unfinished) in place.

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Fins and outboard attachment strips in place, w/o outboards to show detail. There are 4 - 1/4" bolts in each outboard. Sasha the Rocket Dog helping out .. sort of ..

Top end showing the recovery bay.

you got a lot done without the loyal crew! Great work and Iam excited to get to it next weekend.

Looking good! How is the final weight coming in. I'm going to need to get a pretty accurate weight so I can do final recovery calculations. I'll find time one weekend to stop by and look at the setup and see what we are working with.

Edward

Edward .. looks like the booster will be 80 lbs on recovery. That includes everything but the chute .. not sure what it will weigh.

Stage 2 and 3 both come in around 40 lbs on recover .. and that includes adding 15-20 lbs to the nose .. may need more may need less.

I have booster attach done and fin slots cut .. we should be able to assemble the whole thing next week and get some CG info. I'll then know how much I really need to add up front.

Booster is single deploy, 2 and 3 will have dual .. a 24" drogue at apogee.

Steve

Got a little more done today ..

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Isn't it amazing what a committed group of individuals can accomplish? Of course, given the focus, we should all be committed - or given a job at ULA or SpaceX.

Isn't it amazing what a committed group of individuals can accomplish? Of course, given the focus, we should all be committed - or given a job at ULA or SpaceX.

So true .. my neighbors here at the RV Park were definitely thinking about committing me when I set it up outside .. then they thought it was cool.

We still have to finish the transitions and glass the 3rd stage before I cut the slots .. will get that done next weekend. We can also sand and paint everything else. Also need to finish the outboard nosecones. Getting close .. and so is the launch! 😮

Looks like we did a pretty good job getting this scaled properly. Note that the 3rd stage body will be pulled down once the fin slots are cut which should match the real one quite well. Great Job Rich! Thanks!

We'll be in Longmont again Sunday trying to wrap this project up .. could use some help. Have to still glass stage 3 but 1 and 2 are ready for sand and paint. Please let me know if you'll be coming.

Thanks! Steve