Most Powerful Amateur Rocket in Canada

Alex Schmidt writes "A group of Canadian 'amateur' rocketeers successfully launched a 16 1/2 foot rocket to a height of about 5500 feet. The rocket is based on the 'Dauphine' a meteorological rocket from the 1960's. The rocket weighed 300 pounds, stood 16.5 feet high and 21 inches in diameter. The motors generated 2400lbs of thrust. It successfully landed after 3 of 4 parachutes properly deployed."

Comments

Re:Under Heathrow

[gkAndy]

I somehow doubt the FAA have jurisdiction for the airspace around, and above Heathrow. That would be the CAA that does, as Heathrow is in the UK, which is not a federal country.

Re:Looks like good fun

[mikeophile]

If you want to do this in the US, here is the appropriate waiver form.

You just have to make sure your launch conforms to the following regulations.

May not be operated in a prohibited or restricted area without permission from the using or controlling agency, as appropriate [14 CFR 101.3]
May not be operated in a manner that creates a hazard to people or property [14 CFR 101.7(a)]
May not drop anything that creates a hazard to people or property [14 CFR 101.7(b)]
If within a restricted area, must: [14 CFR 101.21]

Not be operated within 1500 feet of any person or property not associated with the operations [14 CFR 101.23(g)]
Comply with additional limitations imposed by the using or controlling agency, as appropriate. [14 CFR 101.21]

If not within a restricted area, must: [14 CFR 101.21]

Not operate in a manner that creates a collision hazard with other aircraft [14 CFR 101.23(a)] Not operate within controlled airspace [14 CFR 101.23(b)]
Not operate within 5 miles of the border of any airport [14 CFR 101.23(c)]
Not fly to altitude where cloud coverage is greater than 50% [14 CFR 101.23(d)]
Not fly to any altitude where the visibility is less than 5 miles [14 CFR 101.23(e)]
Not fly into any clouds [14 CFR 101.23(f)]
Not operate closer than 1500 feet from anyone not involved [14 CFR 101.23(g)]
Not fly between sunset and sunrise [14 CFR 101.23(h)]
Notify the nearest FAA Air Traffic Control center 24-48 hours before the launch [14 CFR 101.25]

In addition, your rocket itself has certain limitations.

Section 400.2 [14 CFR 400.2], which explicitly exempts "amateur rocket activities" from these regulations.
Section 401.5 [14 CFR 401.5], which defines "amateur rocket activities" as follows: "Amateur rocket activities means launch activities conducted at private sites involving rockets powered by a motor or motors having a total impulse of 200,000 pound-seconds or less and a total burning or operating time of less than 15 seconds, and a rocket having a ballistic coefficient--i.e., gross weight in pounds divided by frontal area of rocket vehicle--less than 12 pounds per square inch."

BTW, the Canadian rocket had a ballistic coefficient of 6.93 lbs per square inch.

Re:Uh... SI units anyone ?

[Merlynnus]

Here in er, Canuckistan as I believe some of the Yanks took to calling it, most of us are able to switch effortlessly back and forth between SI and Imperial. For height and weight of things, you'll find typically find we use feet, inches, and pounds (force). You know, people, watermellon, and rockets. Most other measurements use SI. Distance, temperature, viscosity, etc. Mind you, I've never seen vehicles rated by anything other than hp and lb-ft torque. Can you imagine Watts and kN-m?

Project website...

[el33thack3r]

Project Dauphin website is here.

Re:In a (vain) attempt at disscussion...

[khallow]

Anyone know what the largest anywhere was?

I believe it's the Saturn V at 3,038,500 kg (I'm not sure how the mass is derived here perhaps with maximum payload and fuel?). The Energia is smaller (2,524,600 kg) with a slightly greater thrust at launch. This meant that the Saturn could lift somewhat more to orbit than the Energia. In comparison, the Shuttle is 2,029,633 kg.

Re:False Positive on missile defense

[stpats]

You are aware, I hope, that Canada is involved in NORAD? The North American Aerospace Defense Command. NORAD Quickfacts

Re:In a (vain) attempt at disscussion...

[Anonymous Coward]

>> Anyone know what the largest anywhere was? If you are talking in terms of non-professional rocketry and largest altitude record, I believe it was set by Craig Snyder (US) in 2001. He used a multistage rocket (Type M engines) which reached a very respectable 34,988 ft. You can find most non-professional records here.

Re:All your base are belong to Ontario...

[Anonymous Coward]

Ontario? Grab an Atlas, Calgary is in Alberta.

Re:Engine?

[kireK]

Nope, wrong again...

According to the specs from Rockets of the World, the SaturnV is as follows;

Stage 1 was 5,800,000,000 N-s, which would make it 5xAC

Stage 2 was 1,200,000,000 N-sec or a 5xAB

Stage 3 was 450,000,000 N-sec or a AC motor

Misunderstanding

[megabyte405]

Pardon me if I'm wrong, but I'm noticing a fair amount of "woohoo, I reached 5500 feet with [insert hobby rocket engine here]". However, if you read the article, or think about the Slashdot article, you'll notice that it's not the height that's important, it's the thrust. Most powerful, not highest flying.

Re:Engine?

[RedWizzard]

According to the project page the total impulse is close to the limit of O class, just under 41,000Ns.

Gerald Bull

[Anonymous Coward]

Gee, that article makes it sound like an american invented this (multi-injection orbital gun)... not Gerald Bull.

So howcome it's a "weapon of mass destruction" when Iraq tries to build it, and "space exploration" when an american tries to build it?

Actually, it's an "O"

[forged]

Actually, their website says the rocket "featuring a central Cesaroni Pro150 O impulse rocket motor." Also explains why they picked up such a name, Team "O" :-)

Re:Uh... SI units anyone ?

[ColaMan]

Can you imagine Watts and kN-m?
In Australia, vehicles have been rated in kW and kN-M for some years now (10-15 years)

All the car ads in the media mention vehicle specs in metric units. For example, the car (a Holden commodore) I drive has a 156kW buick-derived V6 in it, or you can get a 235kW V8.

Whilst I can convert kW to HP fairly easily in my head, why bother when everything else on the market uses the same units these days?