From: dlw@engr.ucf.edu (Chip Wuerz)
Newsgroups: rec.models.rockets
Subject: LDRS-11 and BALLs Tracking Results (Projects)
Summary: Tracking and info on some large projects
Keywords: LDRS-11, BALLs, Tracking, Altitude, Projects
Date: 1 Sep 92 16:00:06 GMT
Expires: Sat, 10 Oct 1992 04:00:00 GMT
Organization: engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando

***********************************************************************
LDRS-11 / BALLS-2  TRACKING RESULTS  August 1992

data reduced by: Fred Brennion
       trackers: Bill Wood; Chuck Rogers; Tom Blazanin; Gary Berg 
   base station: Phil Saeli; Mike Curtis
   LCO's; RSO's: Jay Orr; Kelly Badger, and many others.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
		      ROCKET    MOTOR    launch       %    down   angle
    Name         note dia   len mfg type wgt,lbs ALT error range fm vert
			   (in.)  
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 i Tom Binford      a. 4.75 112 Vul O3000  74.0 24,662 2.1 4,437 10.2
 2 Deb Schultz      b. 2.26  51 Aer K-250   7.2 21,659 1.2 1,398  3.7
 3 Al Jackson/M.Rappe  2.26  56 Aer K-250   8.5 20,955 8.1 1,498  4.1
 4 Doug Dinse          5.00  77 Aer M-500  34.0 20,589 3.1 5,676 15.4
 5 Univ. Central Fl c. 4.34 181 Enr N1700  77.0 17,409 2.0 5,018 16.1
		             to Enr L-700  (2-stage)
 6 B.Baker/F.Kosden d. 2.75  81 Kos M3700  23.0 15,525 2.7 3,053 11.1
 7 Martha Sienkiewicz  3.10  78 Aer K-250  30.0 14,071 8.3 2,287  9.2
 8 Michael Ward        4.00  96 Enr L1100+ 30.0 13,345 0.2 2,307  9.8
 9 Benjy Levy          2.25  53 Isp J-125   5.5 13,318 0.9 2,578 11.0
10 Charles Weddington  4.00  76 Isp K-250  11.8 12,158 1.1 5,339 23.7
11 Mike Keller         4.00  84 Aer K-250  10.5 10,143 7.0 4,294 22.9
12 David Kuhnle        3.20  78 Isp K-550  10.0  9,140 5.4 2,195 13.5
13 Mike Dolan          3.00  32 Isp J-275   3.7  8,592 3.4 1,959 12.8
14 B.Baker / F.Kosdon  2.25  88 Kos M3700  23.0  7,786 1.4 1,639 11.9
15 Stu Barrett         3.00  50 Isp J-275   5.0  7,413 1.8 1,629 12.4
16 Kent Schraeder      4.00  68 Aer J-125   6.5  7,314 1.1 2,786 20.9
17 Rod Howden          3.10  54 Aer I-65    4.0  6,967 0.7   424  3.5
18 William Meyer       5.40  60 Isp J-180  23.0  6,077 8.6 2,322 20.9
19 Lisette Goff-Maness 5.00  .. Isp K-550   ...  5,940 2.2   443  4.3
20 Dave Bucher         3.00  58 Aer I-65    4.6  5,282 0.0 1,691 17.7
21 Alex McLaughlin     4.00  90 Isp J-275   8.0  4,645 1.2 2,025 23.6
22 John Sicker         3.90  56 Aer I-65    5.0  4,364 0.1 5,014 49.0
23 E.Conger /B.Levy e. 2.60  57 Aer J-275   9.5  4,003 1.9   520  7.4
------------------------------------------------------------------------
notes:
  Enr = Energon		Aer = Aerotech	ISP = Industrial Solid Propulsion
  Kos = Kosdon		Vul = Vulcan

  a. Binford remarked he doubted the motor delivered the promised total
     impulse.
  b. Rocket was LOC's Laser Loc 3.1.  Probably model rocket all-time 
     highest filght by a woman.  K-250 motors were really the star
     performers of LDRS!
  c. Appeared to fly substantial trajectory.  Booster motor appeared
     to make popping; crackling noises as it flew.  Was predicted to
     hit 30,000 feet.  Carried 7 lbs of tracking chalk and had a
     40-second delay.
  d. Awe-inspiring acceleration and noise, Great flight.
  e. Computer flight w/accelerometer, pressure sensor, data recording.

*********************************************************************

  The above is an unadultered version supplied (faxed) to me by 
  Fred Brennion.
   
Now for my comments and corrections:

 a. Second all time highest flight of a non-professional /
    non-metallic rocket.  Highest tracked flight at the Black Rock Desert.
    This flight was 99 feet short of the Kline / Rogers record.
    Nice single stage flight.  

 b. A very well finished rocket (had a waxed texture).  Tower launched.
    A very straight flight.

 c. The booster motor performed flawless.  It produced a noise which
    was expected based on some parameters of the motor design (some
    thing to do with preventing motor casing burn thru, ie liner).
    Rocket was predicted to hit 50,000 feet.  It carried 3 lbs of tracking 
    chalk, a Tommy Billings flight measurement package (thanks to Pius
    Morozumi), ham radio transmitter (UCF), and an on board
    flight sequencer (UCF).
    Rocket had upper stage ignition on time but some thing strange
    happened.  The upper stage ejection went off early.  Half a dozen
    theories - best explainations.
    Timer circuits functioned flawless on the ground prior to launch.
    Best theory yet (more research being done)-
       Static charge build up in and on the rocket set off the
       flash bulb ejection charge at about mach 1.2 (~after staging).
    Upper stage continued, without a payload and nose, till upper
    motor burnout (tracked to this point).  Due to structural stresses
    on the substainer, the fiberglass twisted apart above the substainer
    motor.  Energon was a integral part of this projects.  Energon is
    known to be a very honest motor manufacture, delivering exactly
    what is promised!!!!!!!!!

*********************************************************************

Other notes from the fax

An 'N to N' 4" aluminum-airframe rocket built by Larry Ligget was
unable to be flown.  This is a Ligget-Kline-Rogers-Moose project.
ALT-4 predicts 56,000 feet.  Will fly later at Black Rock.

Chuck Sacket from Florida headed a team which fired the "Down Right
Ignorant" rocket.  24" X 38 feet (my note: exactly 34' 7") long;
liftoff weight around 900 pounds.  Powered by a central Ace Aeronautics
'N' motor and assortment of L's and K's (My note: motors were exactly
1 - O (almost a P) Ace, 5 - L1100 Energon, 1 J415 (for recovery) Aero,
and 8 ISP K550 RMS).  Attained an altitude of several thousand feet. 
Probably the largest 'model rocket' ever flown.  Flew beautifully.
Energetic ejection charge partially scorched 1 of the 3 lower section
chutes; another fouled; another fully inflated.  Probable minor damage
to lower  section.  3 top section chutes deployed perfectly.

Several rockets carrying barometric altimeters were flown by
a team at "pad 99", some distance from the main launch site.
Detailed technical information will be sent to Bill Wood, head of
Tripoli motor testing, for evaluation.  At that time a revised 
altitude listing will be published.

pad 99 flights:  (altitudes are tentative)

N motor ........................23,875
J to J .........................39,000
M2000 to K300 ..................50,000

    Chip Wuerz  TRA # 681
    Electrical Engineering Dept.
    University of Central Florida
    Orlando, Fl. 
Newsgroups: rec.models.rockets