Background

This is a single stage scratch design / built rocket. It is a model of the Cygnus Probe Ship from the movie: “The Black Hole”. 

This is a std front eject rocket that pops the nose cone to deploy the parachute.

This is the 3^rd launch of this rocket.  The 1^st two launches were stable under thrust, but tumbled during coast.

This version has the extended body tube that was tried in the 2^nd flight, but Spin Sails were added to the 3 outriggers to induce spin.  

On Site Preparations

For a parachute I used a 18” Nylon chute.

An igniter was installed in the motor and secured via a rubber band.

The rocket was slid onto the 5/16" launch rod and the controller wires were attached to the igniter leads.

The site was clear and no outside observers were present.

Launch

Wind was out of the West / Southwest and was about 4 mph.

The Aerotech E30-4 motor ignited and the rocket leaped off the pad. 

It flew stable off the rod, 48 mph, through both Thrust and Coast phases, to about 350 feet.

At ejection the chute deployed and the chute partially opened.

The rocket landed 286 feet from the launch pad, to the South-Southwest. 

Condition of rocket after the flight

The rocket lost one of its 3 legs and one of its 3 outriggers. 

The shock chord was wrapped around the parachute.

• The broken leg was found on the trip back from Ground Hit to the Launch Pad. The outrigger was found the next day.

Conclusions

The rocket was stable. The spin tabs worked.

What I learned

This was a spectacular flight. 

Due to the odd shape of the body and the outriggers / legs this rocket needed to spin to maintain stability.

The photos and launch video reflected this flight accurately.