Impulse Aerospace Quad-Pod Launch Pad

Impulse Aerospace - Quad-Pod Launch Pad {Launch Pad}

Contributed by Lance Alligood

Construction Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Flight Rating: starstarstarstarstar
Overall Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Manufacturer: Impulse Aerospace
Impulse Aerospace Quad-Pod

Brief:
The Impulse Aerospace Quad-Pad and Quad-Pod Pro Launching Pads are robust, heavy duty, and practically indestructible launch pads that can handle rockets up to 225 pounds as well as rods/rails up to 1" in diameter. When not in use, they occupy very little storage space.

Construction:
The central assembly of the Quad-Pods are the centerpiece of the design. A cast steel frame has a rotating platform for connecting to the legs and a stainless steel (standard Quad-Pod) or ceramic (Quad-Pod Pro) blast deflector plate on top. The rods/rails are inserted through a hole in the blast deflector and are held in place with 2 plastic knobs. There is a third knob that allows the pad to rotate parallel to the ground, which eliminates the need to pick up and rotate the pad as winds change direction during an afternoon of launches. All of the knobs are just the right size to be tightened/loosened by hand. There is a turnbuckle that also is easily adjusted by hand to angle the pad as needed. The turnbuckle is bolted onto the pad under the blast deflector and held in place at the base by a giant pull pin. The pin is removed when loading a rocket onto the Quad-Pod so that the rod/rail can be laid out at an angle to make loading the rocket onto the pad nearly effortless.

Impulse Aerospace Quad-PodImpulse Aerospace Quad-PodImpulse Aerospace Quad-Pod

The four collapsible legs are either made of 2ft aluminum tubing (standard Quad-Pod) or 3ft steel tubing (Quad-Pod Pro). Before the beginning of 2005, all legs were made of aluminum but on the Quad-Pod Pros, the manufacturer found that the longer legs were bending under the stress of high impulse motors. (In fact, my club purchased ours in mid-2004 before this change was made. Impulse Aerospace handled the replacement of the legs quickly and to our satisfaction.) The steel legs increase the weight of the Quad-Pod Pro pad noticeably but after a couple months with the new legs there has been zero flex seen with them! Aside from the different materials, the difference in the legs length provides a greater footprint for handling heavier rockets although the center of gravity is also elevated a few inches higher overall. Still, the both flavors of the pads are less than 3 feet tall when fully opened and ready for use. It is worth mentioning that they put the aft end of the rocket at a height that allows the flier to insert igniters without having to lie down on the ground.

Impulse Aerospace Quad-Pod When the pad is not being used, the legs fold up and the pad can be stored upside-down (on the blast deflector). They are light enough for anyone old enough to fly a rocket off of them to safely carry. Transporting them is reasonably easy because of their compact size too. I regularly carry all 3 of our club's pads along with all of my personal rockets, range box, canopy, cooler, etc. in my vehicle to/from launches.

Finishing:
Since the integral parts of the pad are steel, care should be taken to store them away from moisture, sprayed regularly with a good lubricant, and cleaned to remove any propellant residue that may interfere with the pad's operation and usage.

Impulse Aerospace Quad-Pod They are rated for rockets up to 225 pounds. I weigh slightly more than that recommendation and can safely stand on top of them without any wobble or noticeable flexing in either the Quad-Pod or Quad-Pod Pro.

Construction Rating: 4 out of 5

Flight:
My club has used both the Quad-Pod and Quad-Pod Pro for rockets up to 25 feet tall and more than 40 pounds. Aside from the issue with the aluminum legs bending from use on the Quad-Pod Pro, the pads have worked flawlessly for rockets of all shapes and sizes.

Flight Rating: 5 out of 5

Impulse Aerospace Quad-Pod

Summary:
The Impulse Aerospace Quad-Pod Launching Pads are excellent investments for clubs who regularly fly mid and high power rockets. They can easily handle some very large rockets and are a piece of cake to use, store, and maintain. I definitely recommend them to clubs looking to upgrade or increase their ground support.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5

Comments:

avatar
K.D. (September 14, 2005)
I purchased my quad-pod from the original manufacturer several years ago. It's rock-solid! It's been used to for a wide range of flights, including at least one M-powered rocket. The four legs can make it tricky to get it solidly settled, but I've never had to worry about it tipping.

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