NASA USLI Rocket Competition

Kolton Jones, Daniel Jones, Timothy Bucklew, Owen GaulMariel Shumate, Keith Andrew

Physics and AstronomyWestern Kentucky University

National Collegiate Competition to launch and return safely a rocket with aNASA payload to a height of 1 mile.

1.Engage students of all levels in sciencea. Universityb. High Schoolc. Middle School

2.National Recruitment3.PR for NASA and STEM

May 2012- April 2013 NASA Student Launch Teams (University/College)

1. Alabama A&M University -- Normal, Ala.2. California Polytechnic Pomona -- Pomona, Calif.3. Century College -- White Bear Lake, Minn.4. Citrus College -- Glendora, Calif.5. Clark College -- Vancouver, Wash.6. Florida A&M University -- Tallahassee, Fla.7. Georgia Institute of Technology -- Atlanta, Ga.8. Harper College -- Palatine, Ill.9. Massachusetts Institute of Technology -- Cambridge, Mass.10. Mississippi State University -- Starkville, Miss.11. New Mexico State University -- Las Cruces, N.M.12. North Carolina State University -- Raleigh, N.C.13. Northwest Indian College -- Bellingham, Wash.14. Northwestern University -- Evanston, Ill.15. Pennsylvania State University -- University Park, Pa.16. Purdue University -- West Lafayette, Ind.17. Santa Fe College -- Gainesville, Fla.18. Tarleton State University -- Stephenville, Texas19. University of Alabama -- Tuscaloosa, Ala.20. University of Alabama in Huntsville -- Huntsville, Ala.21. University of California Davis -- Davis, Calif.22. University of Central Florida -- Orlando, Fla.23. University of Florida -- Gainesville, Fla.24. University of Illinois Urbana Champaign -- Champaign, Ill.25. University of Louisville -- Louisville, Ky.26. University of Minnesota -- Minneapolis, Minn.27. University of Nebraska -- Lincoln, Neb.28. University of New Hampshire -- Durham, N.H.29. University of North Carolina Charlotte -- Charlotte, N.C.30. University of North Dakota -- Grand Forks, N.D.31. University of Notre Dame -- South Bend, Ind.32. University of South Alabama -- Mobile, Ala.33. Vanderbilt University -- Nashville, Tenn.34. Virginia Tech -- Blacksburg, Va.35. Western Kentucky University -- Bowling Green, Ky.36. Windward Community College -- Kaneohe, Hawaii

Student Members of WKU USLI Rocket TeamVette City Rockets

Name Major Graduating Class1 Bucklew, Timothy BS: Mechanical

Engineering2014

2 Carvalho Pelossi, Bruno

Physics Brazilian Exchange Student

3 Covetts, James BS: Computer Science 2013

4 Dong, Samuel BS: Computer Science, BS:  Physics

Gatton 2013

5 Dowell, Steven BS: Electrical Engineering

2014

6 Edens, Jordan BS: Mechanical Engineering

2015

7 Gaulle, Owen BS: Physics 2013

8 Ghanta, Akhil BS: Physics Gatton 2013

9 Heintzman, Eli BS: Physics 2015

10 Jones, Daniel BS: Physics 2013

11 Jones, Kolton BS: Physics 2014

12 Leszczewicz, Jason BS: Physics 2013

13 Masuda, Shane BS: Physics Gatton 2013

14 Shumate, Mariel BS: Mechanical Engineering

2014

15 Stansel, Jeffrey BS: Mechanical Engineering

2014

16 Wei, Daniel BS: Physics, BS: Mathematics

Gatton 2014

17 Wood, Duncan BS: Physics, BA: French

Gatton 2013

1. Design, Budget, Outreach and Testing2. Subscale Testing at WKU Rudolf Field: 6 launches, try for 1500 ft3. Half Scale Testing at Cemetery Field: 3 Launches, try for ½ mile: 2640 ft4. Charge Subscale Testing at E-Field: 1 Launch5. Full Scale Test at C-Field: 1 Launch – 1mile6. Huntsville Launch in April: 1 Launch – 1mile

11 Month ProjectCurrent: 43.5 lbs, 7.25 ft, 8.0” diameterNASA Check in every two monthsBudget: Max. Rocket and Payload $5kCost of full scale engine: $350Motor Choice: Aerotech L1420RStudents must do 100% of workLicensed Engine Mentor: Level 3 NAR D. Hanks

Team Name: Vette City RocketMailing Address: 1906 College Heights #11077 Name of Mentor: Darryl Hanks Level 3 NAR certification

NASA words of advice: please make a stable rocket.

WKU Vette City Rocket Plans

WKU Vette City Sponsors

Randolph, Hale & Meredith, Inc.

Design and Distribution of MicrochipsCorporate HeadquartersMicrochip Technology Inc.2355 West Chandler Blvd.Chandler, Arizona, USA 85224-6199(480) 792-7200

Computer Coding SolutionsGames to Web DesignNashville RoadBowling Green, KY

Industrial Suppliers: Medical, Mechanical, Display 319 State Street / P.O. Box 1217 Bowling Green, KY. 42101 Phone (270) 781-1462 Fax (270) 781-1524

 Web Site: www.randolph-electronic.com E-Mail: sales@randolph-electronic.com

Creating Robotic SolutionsInterface, applications, controllers

search •  Robotic Designs  • •Controller Boards  • •Software and Interface • •Chassis and Accessories • •Application Studio  •   Customer Service Assistance: • 

ACE Electrical EngineeringMicroprocessors, Boards, PCs

General MotorsCorvettes in BG

NASA KY Space GrantUK, EPSCoR

dm

dmrrr

Ad

Adrr cgcmcp

Dynamic Stability: CP is below CGSHM about CG due to torques acting at CP damped harmonic motion

Drift Field Parameters Consider a rocket in open parachute recovery mode at altitude h, with descent velocity v in the presence of a horizontal wind. The rocketwill drift a distance d from the location of parachute opening. To find the driftdistance we will:

1. Use Newton’s Laws of motion to relate the drag force to the weight and terminal speed of the rocket

2. Estimate the drag force in terms of the drag coefficient and parachute area3. Determine the descent velocity given the parachute area at terminal speed4. Relate this to the total time of descent5. Model various drift distances for a given horizontal wind speed6. Fit parameters and estimates from flight data 7. Develop a rapid calculation rule consistent with the detailed analysis

Scale model test launchat WKU Rudolph Field

Newton’s Second Law of MotionDescent Velocity During Recovery

WmgvACTF

amWFF

vACTF

dd

dj

j

dd

2)(:0aVelocity Terminal

:IINewton Eq. Dynamical2

)(:Force Drag Viscous

2

2

W=mg

F-drag

g=9.8m/s2

x

y

222

3

35.028.007.0

9.15.1

229.1

mmmAAA

Cmkg

chuterocket

d

air

Small safe recovery v~2.5 m/sLarger rocket, higher h, v~ 5 m/s

Typical Drag Forces:

12.54 N < F < 18.5 N ACmgvd

2

SkyAngle CERT 3 Drogue

Tested Load Capacity (lb) 60.0-129.8Surface Area (sq.ft) 129Tested Cd 2.92Suspension Line Length (inches) 120Net Weight (oz.) 64

Frictional Drag Force in a FluidHumidity and Altitude

jo

jj

vabsoluted

TT

sat

sat

d

vvdd

vapor

vapor

dry

dryhumid

dd

TTTdensity

PPPPaxP

humidityrealtivePaPkgKJ

kgKJR

density

RTMPMP

TRP

TRP

T

vACTF

1

3.2735.7

v

v

v

2d

3humid

2

)(:

pressure vapor saturation:10061078.0

::P

vaporfor water constant gas specific495.461R

Pa:or water vapof pressue partial:PK etemperatur:T

airdry for constant gas specific :058.287

mNPa :airdry of pressure partial:P

mkg:air humid of :

)(

2)(

RTPM

air of massmolar :0289644.0

:31447.8

:/0065.0:15.288

:325.101

1

molkgM

idealmolKJR

LapsemKLlevelseaKTlevelseakPaP

LhTTTLhPP

o

o

o

RLgM

oo

VgmgWmkg

30 22.1

Terminal Velocity and Parachute Area

drogueDmkg

shapeddomeCsheetflatC

smv

drvC

mgA

WmgAvCF

maWFF

d

d

d

dd

d

"60

22.1

8.15.175.0

/534

22

0

3

22

2

2

Scale Model Parachute for LaunchBrown Cemetery Lane Field

Younger's Creek 583

SkyAngle 60" Recon drogue chute

Tested load capacity (lb) 10.2 to 22.1Surface Area (sq.ft) 39.2Tested CD 1.89Suspension Line length (in) 60Net weight (oz.) 18.2

Descent Velocity and Time

mgAhC

vht

ACmgv

drvC

mgA

WmgAvCF

maWFF

d

d

d

dd

d

2

2

42

2

0

2

22

2

2

Balloon Borne SondeWind Speed Data

WKU Rudolph FieldDescent Data

ejection altitude ft 1000 1007 1437 1354 908 894descent rate mph 10 12 9 10 12 9descent rate fps 15 18 13.5 15 18 13.5descent time s 68.2 57.1 99.9 84.2 47.8 60.8

flight duration s 76.6 65.5 109.5 92.5 56.1 69.6

Horizontal Drift Distance – Recovery

mgAhCvvtD

mgAhC

vht

ACmgv

dwindwindhorizontaldrift

d

d

2

2

2

2

2

Rock-Sim Simulation of Flight

Solid Works Code for Designand modeling prior to Construction with avionics Digilent payload

Cesaroni L1395 Subscale Engine

WKU Rudolph Field Ag Farm: 1500 ft x 3500 ft

6 Launches with Estes C/D Engines Break 1500 ft altitude

Characteristic Flight Data from Six Launches at Rudolph Field

Defined Flight Active Zones WKU Rudolph Field Launch

alpha bar Beta Prime Gamma

First LaunchSecond Launch First Launch Second Launch First Launch

Second Launch

Peak altitude ft 1017 1038 1457 1389 934 956Top speed mph 205 204 272 258 169 163

Burn time s 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8Peak a during boost g's 19.9 15.1 14.9 12.6 11.2 11.5

average a g's 3.3 3.3 4.4 4.2 2.7 2.7coast to apogee sec 5.6 5.6 6.8 5.5 5.5 6

apogee to ejection sec -0.1 -0.1 -0.5 -0.5 ? -1ejection altitude ft 1000 1007 1437 1354 908 894descent rate mph 10 12 9 10 12 9descent rate fps 15 18 13.5 15 18 13.5descent time s 68.2 57.1 99.9 84.2 47.8 60.8

flight duration s 76.6 65.5 109.5 92.5 56.1 69.6

1457 ft

Estes Rockets with C/D engines

First Launch Second Launch Third Launch Engine J520 SK J580 SS J 357 Blue Streakpeak altitude ft 2450 2515 2094top speed mph 317 229brun time secs 1.6 1.8peak accleration g 17.7 16.3average a g's 8.9 5.9cost to apogee secs 10.2 7apogee ejection time -2.3 -0.1ejection altitude 2418 1784descent rate mph 47 12descent rate fps 71 18descent time 33.2 94flight time 45 102.8

electronics main chutefailure failure

3 Subscale Launches: ½ Size: 2515 ft on 1-6-2013

Scale Model LaunchBrown Cemetery Lane Field

Younger's Creek 583

Post Flight Scale Model Recovery System

Smoothing CouplerFor Ejection

In conclusion:

1. Subscale electronic ejection flight success: March 9, 20132. Full Scale Test Flight: launch window March 16-31- not today3. Huntsville Flight: launch window April 19-21