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The Huntsville Concrete Rocket
eric writes: "Students at the University of Alabama in Huntsville have designed and launched the world's first concrete rocket. Video of the launch can be found on their site" Look to the bottom of the page. What's next? Concrete cell phones? I could use a cell phone that could float.
It's at the bottom of the page; look closer next time.
Calling it a concrete rocket is a bit misleading however IMHO - if it is like the boat, it's got a very thin layer of concrete ( < half an inch) over the top of a structure made from another material.
What is more interesting is the concrete - waterproof, high tensile strength, etc. etc.
"Fly's like a brick" might have to be re-evaluated.
A second Washington monument has appeared overnight. The second one is round, but of similar dimensions to the original monument.
President Bush was quoted as saying "Cool! Bungi jumping!"
Former President Clinton was quoted as saying "Yep, almost lifesize! Now THAT'S a legacy, baby!"
More on topic- this impresses me less than the concrete boats the military used in WWI (I think). I can understand blasting concrete around, but my mind just can not wrap itself around a big hunko concrete actually floating. Of course, iron/steel would also be a non-starter if I didn't grow up with it as the standard, probably.
Vote monkeys into Congress. They are cheaper and more trustworthy.
It is a felony in most states to launch a model rocket exceding certain characteristics.
For example tipping it with a nail, or making it a DESTRUCTIVE DEVICE by merely increasing its girth to over sixty hundredths of an inch, or using its fuel as a type of explosive payload.
But you cannot tip it with a metal mass.
These people cleverly used concrete to skirt the state laws on illegal rocketry.
Thats funny.
We used to shoot metal tipped rockets into aluminum siding of college busses using c engines in mosquitos at college (actually the NROTC guys did it all the time as a thrill)
They stopped when springtime brought prospect of open bus windows.
the rockets stuck into the bus (north campus busses).
They would have used cement to stay within the law if they knew it could be done.... too bad it would be a small pinch of payload.... no way to get thrust for much concrete.
There was a whole article about this in the New Scientist a couple of months ago, it's not on their site but I seem to recall it mentioned concrete planes too...
Wow, I must say, I'm proud to live in this state now! Billy Bob spent his 4 years learning how to make concrete fly! See, Alabama isn't so bad, after all. No, really.
There has even been serious military planning for concrete submarines. Since concrete is very strong under pressure, such subs can sink to enormous depths and lurk on the sea bottom, looking like a rock to enemy sonar. Steel subs can only go down about half a mile.
-- We don't understand software, and sometimes we don't understand hardware, but we can *see* the blinking lights
Several Universities around here build concrete toboggans. Take a look, it's actually quite intersting.
I guess when the attack of the smart elephants starts we really will be able to build concrete rockets powered by nuclear bombs!
Who knew Jerry Pournelle was a true visionary?
SR71 is made of titanium that expands while in flight. In order to get this to work, the metal is smaller while it's on the ground, causing gaps in the metal where fuel leaks out.
On a side note, it's pretty hard to get the jet fuel the SR71 uses to ignite. A plain 'ol match won't do it. The plane needs a separate starting vehicle to get the fuel lit.
The plane is still cool, even if it's almost 40 years old.
The American Society of Civil Engineers holds and annual concrete canoe competition for student chapter/club programs. Check out the site for more information...
"He was a wise man who invented beer" Plato
I'm a model rocket enthusiast as well. You're right--there are rules for specific model rockets (1 pound or less, no use of metal, et al.) The National Association of Rocketry set these rules.
But there is such a thing as amateur rocketry, which has a different, more complex set of rules. I don't want to talk much more about this since I don't participate, but these people have massive rockets that fly to substantial heights with very high impulse engines. I don't know if the NAR is the sanctioning body for these people, but, provided they follow the rules for these devices from whatever body provides them, it shouldn't be a problem.
Otherwise, people like Dick Rutan and other amateur rocketry fans would have a very hard time trying to win the X Prize (http://www.xprize.org/).
Vos teneo officium eram periculosus ut vos recipero is.
I'm a member of CMASS, a NAR section in New England. In the past, I've been responsible for doing the regulatory paperwork needed to have a high power rocket launch.
(speaking of which, we have a launch coming up on April 20 in Amesbury, MA -- see our launch schedule)
So, while in most states there are usually no additional local restrictions (California is a notable exception). The states usually adopt the NFPA codes 1122 and 1127 as their regulations. These are what actually limit the amount of structural metal (and that's only on a high power rocket).
However there are FAA regulations that restrict the weight, altitude, and amount or propellant that a model rocket can use. Generalizing (see the schedule link above for a more detailed table), and assuming you meet the other restrictions outlined in FAR 101 (i.e., not within 5 miles of an airport):
- A rocket under 1lb and with up to a "G" motor can be launched with no altitude restriction.
- A rocket under 3.3lbs and with up to a G motor is only a large model rocket; it requires no approval from the FAA, but it does require a LMR notification prior to the flight
- A rocket over 3.3lbs of rocket or over 125g of propellant requires an FAA waiver to allow the launch.
So, depending upon the weight of the concrete rocket (I didn't see that offhand on their page), they could have been fine with their launch, especially since they only launched on an Aerotech "E" (which is generally under 20g of propellant).That all being said:
None of the FAA regulations have provisions for such blanket immunity of universities; I think you are mistaken here. You should check into this.
And, let me point out that none of this applies to amateur rocketry. As said above by someone else, that has it's own, more complex rules.
Outside of all that, there is ongoing litigation with the BATF about their attempts to regulate the hobby. See the information at the NAR (National Association of Rocketry