Flight Computers in LOC Weasel (TM)

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Larry Curcio - 19 Apr 2007 01:18 GMT

Have been considering ways to cram an
RDAS or ARTS into a LOC Weasel, which
has an I.D. of 1.5". It is straightforward to
screw such a unit (using the supplied standoffs)
into the side of the vehicle, but it is hard to
prep and reprep this arrangement in the field.
(I need data from several flights.)

Have just tried screwing the units into some
semi-stiff sheet plastic. My wife buys it in
kitchenware departments to protect countertops
when we use sharp knives. I cut a strip just a hair
wider than half the inside circumference and
screwed the standoffs along the middle of it.
At the bottom of the instrument bay, I packed
a little foam rubber to hold the bottom part in
place. The top can be held by tension, the nose
cone, or a single screw.

The plastic conforms to the inside of the bay,
and when it is curved that way it looks like it
will resist compression. Am considering duct
taping the battery to an extension below or
above the instrument.

This arrangement will not be used to trigger
ejection, but only to obtain data. Does it
seem reasonable or is there something I'm
missing that I'm going to regret?

Regards,
-Larry Curcio

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David Schultz - 19 Apr 2007 02:51 GMT

> This arrangement will not be used to trigger
> ejection, but only to obtain data. Does it
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> Regards,
> -Larry Curcio

Your only regrets will be not having a backup to motor ejection as your
rocket screams into the ground.

But then again, it might work perfectly every time. I currently have a
little data collection project going using my RDAS and I have it rigged
to control ejection with the motor as backup. I do not feel comfortable
flying an altimeter as expensive as the RDAS without some redundancy on
deployment. But that's just me. :-)

Signature

David W. Schultz
http://home.earthlink.net/~david.schultz
------
David Shatzer - the new Douglas Feith?

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Larry Curcio - 19 Apr 2007 11:22 GMT

Yo, Dave.

Yeah, but getting electronic ejection into a
Weasel is like doing the Mambo in a
phone booth. Actually, the bigger regret is
likely to be watching the thing drift over
the horizon for lack of dual deployment.

Hoping to get a good Cd curve for the Weasel
and a good thrust curve for the F22. Also,
hoping to backtrack launch angle from inertial
and barometric data, testing off-vertical analysis.

Barring all that, hoping to get a great video of my
rocket screaming into the ground :-)

Looks like good weather this weekend. I'm Psyched!

Best Regards

> Your only regrets will be not having a backup to motor ejection as your
> rocket screams into the ground.

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Steve Humphrey - 19 Apr 2007 15:20 GMT

> ... getting electronic ejection into a
> Weasel is like doing the Mambo in a
> phone booth. Actually, the bigger regret is
> likely to be watching the thing drift over
> the horizon for lack of dual deployment.

http://www.picoalt.com/AD4.htm
Piece of cake. :-)

Signature

Steve Humphrey
(replace "spambait" with "merlinus" to respond directly to me)

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jsdemar - 20 Apr 2007 22:27 GMT

> http://www.picoalt.com/AD4.htm
> Piece of cake. :-)

A very small piece of cake! I've used a PicoAlt for dual
deployment in a 24mm rocket.

Altimeters can get expensive. I've lost 2 RDAS's.

-John

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Aaron - 20 Apr 2007 21:08 GMT

> Yo, Dave.
>
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
> > Your only regrets will be not having a backup to motor ejection as your
> > rocket screams into the ground.

I mounted an ARTS2 into my Weasel and set it up for ejection (main at
apogee only) by modifying the mounting hardware that is used for PML's
CPR3000 system (the cast resin parts). If you'd like details, let me
know.

-Aaron

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Model Forum / General / Rockets / April 2007

Flight Computers in LOC Weasel (TM)