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Most Powerful Amateur Rocket in Canada

Posted by michael on from the good,-eh? dept.

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."

11 of 202 comments (clear)

  1. Was it really impressive? by mnmn · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Am I the only one who feels the rocket should have done better than 6000 feet? In the highest amateur rocket records,Ive seen 30 kilometers for about the same size of a rocket. Maybe that was liquid propelled and multistaged.

    It was impressive though and looked like an anti aircraft missile.

    --
    "Give orange me give eat orange me eat orange give me eat orange give me you." -Nim Chimpsky
    1. Re:Was it really impressive? by Tyler+Eaves · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I can kinda understand limiting the height.

      2 major reasons.

      1: A lot less is needed as far as permits / permissions.
      2: Better chances of recovery...

      --
      TODO: Something witty here...
    2. Re:Was it really impressive? by taniwha · · Score: 4, Interesting
      we've flown similar rockets to 100k ft at Blackrock in the US - the Canadian rocket looks big and heavy to me - similar to this one that flew to a similar height on larger motors.

      100k ft is REALLY hard to reach - motors are extremely expensive and the technology is not wonderfully reliable. Mind you the US govt just banned all our motors due to the 'Patriot' act. On the other hand flying a light weight rocket to 6k is easy, people do it all the time - on cardboard and plywood - 100k requires lightweight composite materials that can stand flying thru mach 3

  2. Rockets are old! by sploxx · · Score: 3, Interesting

    They are doing cool stuff!

    But this reminds me that someone should develop/build something better than rockets for reaching the space. They've been used for a too long time now.

    There are alternatives... electromagnetic propulsion, laser heated plasma propulsion etc.pp.
    It is technically feasible. But noone seems to be interested in it.
    The scientists doing such stuff are unfortunately short of money...

    1. Re:Rockets are old! by ZachReligious · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Like the Jules Verne Gun. Saw this on a discovery or history channel show about super guns. Interesting, and presumably a much cheaper way to launch small payloads (eventually).

  3. Re:Engine? by proctorg76 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    According to the letter code used by the National Association of Rocketry ( http://www.nar.org ), each letter has twice the power of the class before it and a "D" class engine generates between 2.5 and 5 lbs of thrust. The article claims 2,400 lbs of thrust, so by doubling the power range until it includes 2400 it is revealed that this would be an "L" class engine.

    --
    Something distinct that people will remember better than my name
  4. False Positive on missile defense by rodney+dill · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Sounds like an invitation for NORAD to fire on Canada.

    Seriously, just how big and how high do these missiles have be, before they attract military attention of an undesired nature.

    --

    Use your head, can't you, use your head,
    You're on earth, there's no cure for that     - S. Beckett
  5. 5500 feet? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Wow, 5500 whole feet ?

    I reached about that in 1988 with a 4-stage model rocket using Estes "D" engines.

    Good to see the Canadians finally catching up to us in hobbyist technology.

    As far as reaching LEO, they're about 2% of the way there. This sure is front page news!

  6. Re:Engine? by NanoWit · · Score: 4, Interesting

    So that would put a Saturn V (~7,500,000 lb.) at one letter past Z (AA?)

  7. Re:Engine? by Tyler+Eaves · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Nope. That would put it at 5Y. The first stage had 5 F1 engines.

    --
    TODO: Something witty here...
  8. Homeland Security Act might kill the hobby in US by Geekonomical · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I attended a lecture by a bay area ameteur rocketry group. In their presentation they said HLS act might kill the hobby. Maybe Canada can continue. I am not against such laws per se, since we are dealing with extremely powerful machines that can wreak havoc if used with wrong intentions, but I wonder the future of amateur rocketry in present circumstances.