Rocketry Challenge - Technical Document I

Transcription

1 Rocketry Challenge - Technical Document I This document includes a list of what is inside the kit with pictures for hard to decipher parts and a simple step-by-step process of how to assemble and launch a rocket. A more detailed explanation and demonstration will be given in the webinars as the video will be available for review afterwards. The Kit Inventory: Not Pictured: 1 box of small rubber bands, 2 bottles of super glue, extra washers for nozzles, usb charging cable for altimeter, 10m of blue tubing with attached adapter, and bicycle pump Plunger (x2) Bottom Support (x2) Slider assembly (x2) Top Support (x2)

2 Top Screw and Lock Nut (x3) Nozzles: 8mm, 10mm, and 12mm (x1) Fins (x3) Fin Housing (x2) Assembled Parachute Mechanism (x2) Fuselage w/ Parachute (x2)

3 Fuel Tank (x3) Nose Cone (x2) and Altimeter (x1) Launcher, Splash Guard, and Launch Stand (x1)

4 Assembly Instructions: This will not include how to assemble the tilt switch, that will be covered in the webinar and posted for later review. Beginning with a bare fuselage, insert the top screw through the top opening and screw on the lock nut from the inside of the bottle. The lock nut should be tight, but not so tight as to warp the plastic. Insert the tilt switch through the bottom opening of the fuselage. The pin of the lock slider should be just above the small rectangular cutout. This may take some finesse, tips will be provided in the webinar

5 Arm the altimeter*, place in slot in nosecone, and screw the nose cone onto the top of the fuselage. The altimeter will begin taking data when it senses a certain amount of force. Insert the nozzle size of choice into the fin housing. Make sure the washer (black) is flat inside and no edges are upturned. If so, use a medium flat head screwdriver to press down the edges but take care not to crack the washer. Next attach the fins as shown, and screw the whole fin assembly onto the fuel tank. This should be tight, but overtightening can crack the fin housing.

6 Using the duct tape provided, attach the fuselage to the fuel tank. Take proper care that the rocket is as straight as possible and use two layers of tape. Now comes folding the parachute, this is the most crucial part and should be performed exactly the same way every time. Begin by making sure the strings are not knotted and the parachute is folded in half. Fold the parachute in quarters, then eights, then fold it longways, and then half again (sixteenths if you will.)

7 Fold the string it back and forth against one side of the parachute. Do not wrap it around the parachute as this can lead to a long deploy time. Place the parachute on the fuselage where the door will close over it (door not shown until next picture). The parachute should not be wedged under the end of the door and the cutout for the pin should be exposed. Close the door over the parachute so the locking tab of the door goes into the cutout. Insert a pen or pencil into the hole in the top of the nose cone to lock the door closed. Do this with the tilt switch off. The pen pushes down the plunger which pushes down the slider assembly.

8 The pin should go through the locking tab. You will hear a click when it locks in place. To check, hold the rocket upright, and press the button the tilt switch. The blue light tells you that it is on, and the green light tells you that it is engaged. When the rocket tips passed approximately 60 degrees, the tilt switch will fire and the parachute will eject. Before you launch your first rocket, test this multiple times to make sure the parachute ejects. Turn off the tilt switch for now. Attach the splash guard to the top of the launcher by twisting it in place. Then align the tabs in the launcher stand and screw the launcher into place with the included bolts. Extend the legs of the launcher stand and place it on a flat, even surface.

9 Twist the launch angle knob as shown and rotate the launcher to its horizontal position. Insert the fin housing into the nozzle housing of the launcher. Push the fin housing into the nozzle housing until the red tabs rotate to rest on the edge of the black release lever. It may take a lot of force, don t apply pressure to the splash guard as you could crack it, and don t push from the top of the bottle as you could twist and crush it weakening the plastic. You can now rotate the launcher to the desired angle and tighten the knob.

10 Attach one end of the tube to fitting on the launcher. Connect the tube adapter on the on the other end of the tube to the bike pump and lift the lever to tighten it in place. Your tube adapter and bike pump will look slightly different but the mechanism is still the same. Make sure you arm the tilt switch and ensure the green and blue lights are on before launching!!! We recommend a two person verification system for this. If you ever want to depressurize a rocket, press the yellow button in. This will allow the pressure to escape. If the rocket is in the vertical configuration as shown and the button is pressed, water will escape out of the blue tube. If the launcher is in the horizontal configuration and no water is in the neck of the bottle, the air will escape and the water will remain in the bottle. You are now ready to pressurize and launch! Make sure you don t start pressurizing until everyone is at a safe distance and has their safety glasses on. When the desired pressure is obtained, release the bike pump from the tube adapter and the rocket will launch. We recommend launch angles no greater than 30 degrees. Don t exceed pressures of 100psi, and don t use a bottle for more than 15 launches.