As many of you know I am a fan of cluster rockets and would like to begin designing a D-cluster rocket for the contest that was proposed at the annual meeting. If I remember right the rules were simple: Highest flight using as many D class engines as you want, no staging, verified by altimeter reading before end of the launch window the same day as the rocket was launched. So I have a few simple questions:
1. Are a boosted darts allowed?
2. Does the rocket have to be intact upon recovery?
3. Are air starts after external pods ejecting considered staging?
4. Will the ejection of a motor, either accidental, or on purpose DQ the flight?
5. Will ‘flash in the pan’ be allowed for ignition?
Mr. Frisky may need more than one can of cat food!
-Dale N
Some good questions Dale, most of which were not considered. Let's answer.
1 - No boosted darts - I have a separate boosted dart contest in mind.
2 - I think it should be - certifiable condition so to speak. It means that the bird flew according to the planned flight profile.
3 - I'd say airstarts should be allowed, but keep in mind the weight penalty you'll be incurring with a timer and battery.
4 - I think since ejection of a motor on a cert flight would be cause for a DQ, we should follow that rule here.
5 - Of course you can "flash in the pan" - it's your paint job after all.
I'm open to arguments for and against.
Warren
Dale, I think you should get extra credit for doing all the above on the same flight 😉
Warren, the ejected motors would be part of the flight profile. They would be in their own pods with parachutes. Since the main rocket would still have motors thrusting it wouldn't be considered a boosted dart.
-Dale N
Agreed. So far, I'm cool with what you're talking about.
W
Warren, the ejected motors would be part of the flight profile. They would be in their own pods with parachutes.
-Dale N
Dale, are you going to fly this at MHM? Sounds GREAT!
8) Is there a fee for the Cluster? I wish to be in. 8)
No Fee as it stands now. I think Joe and I are going to choose some sort of "fabulous" prize.
W
Warren, the ejected motors would be part of the flight profile. They would be in their own pods with parachutes. Since the main rocket would still have motors thrusting it wouldn't be considered a boosted dart.
-Dale N
That to me is a multi-stage rocket, not a cluster. I think we should stay within the NAR Contest definition of a cluster:
23 Cluster Altitude Competition
23.1 Scope
Cluster Altitude (CA) is comprised of five events
open to single staged model rockets.
23.2 Purpose
The purpose of this event is to foster the understanding
and execution of a fundamental model rocket skill: clustering.
The purpose of the competition is to achieve the highest altitude.
23.3 Retained Motors
All motor cases are to be retained in the model.
Following an official flight, a contestant must present his/her model as
recovered to a contest official for verification of motor casing retention or
the flight will be disqualified.
23.4 Winner
The person achieving the highest altitude is the winner.
...
23.6 Simultaneous Ignition
All motors of Cluster Altitude event models shall be
ignited on or instantaneously after the model's first motion (i.e., "Simultaneous Ignition").
Partial cluster ignition shall be deemed a qualified flight unless disqualified
for other safety reasons by the RSO. Unignited motors carried aloft shall
be retained within the model.
23.7 Partial Ignition
Models that do not ignite all motors in flight will be considered official flights.
An entry which fails to ignite all of its motors is considered a qualified
flight unless it is unsafe (Rule 11.1), experiences a catastrophic failure
(Rule 11.5), or the track is lost (Rule 14.9).
I would agree. Not to be picky but weather you air start with an igniter, or use a moter to do it, its still staged. You could use 5 progresive air starts and go for ever.8O
Hey I could enter my 5 stage rocket, It starts with a cluster! 😉
He should still build that other thing with the pods tough. It would be way
COOOOOOL!! 8)
Scott e
For maximum entertainment value, I say keep it like it is. There is probably a point of diminishing returns. How many D motors can D motors lift? I know it's been tried in the hundreds. Success or failure... either would be great to watch. I might even think about this one. Would certainly give my 100% success rate with clusters thus far a challenge.
Ken
For maximum entertainment value, I say keep it like it is. There is probably a point of diminishing returns. How many D motors can D motors lift? I know it's been tried in the hundreds. Success or failure... either would be great to watch. I might even think about this one. Would certainly give my 100% success rate with clusters thus far a challenge.
Ken
instead of rules we could vot on the cooolest clusters!!!
When is the official contest date. ie, when do we need to have it ready by?
What's the current record?
Is there one particular motor we are all supposed to use?
How many tries, or models of rockets can we make the attempt with?
Some of your questions have answers that are, to be blunt, undefined.
No official contest date was chosen, so the contest runs all year.
No current cluster records exist for NCR of any kind. We're waiting for a new code push on the website that will provide for the current single motor records, staged records, cluster records and the same for research motors. I've also been thinking of adding a boost glider category.
There is no particular motor or configuration. Only rules decided upon is that they all must ignite on the pad - no airstarts - and that the motors must fly and recover intact with the bird, no drop off boosters.
Warren
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