High Power Rocketry
• Fall 2020: led a team of five to build a level one high power rocket in two weeks.
• Self-taught in basic rocketry fundamentals such as motor propellants, payloads, avionics, parachute deployment, and rocket design (fins, body, nosecone) which will be necessary for self-designed level three rockets. Built from hi-tech kit online.
• Simulated on OpenRocket software by massing all parts, determined center of pressure, center of gravity, and point of apogee and parachute deployment.
• Launched to apogee at the Maryland Delaware Rocketry Association.
• Continuing Villanova's rocketry efforts as part of AIAA in the coming semesters.
I am the space projects lead for Villanova University's American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) branch, a professional society that has been relatively dormant on Villanova’s campus in the past several years compared to societies like ASME or IEEE, which is something I am seeking to change. I have explored options to better involve Villanova in the realms of space and aerospace, with one interesting endeavor being High Power Rocketry (HPR). Schools from all over the world can compete against one another in events such as the Spaceport America Cup. This competition aims to launch student-built rockets to 10,000 and 30,000 feet using solid, liquid, or hybrid based propulsion and only commercial off the shelf components, similar to the way Formula SAE competes by building a formula-style racing car from the ground up each year. In order to compete, however, certifications are required and a plethora of conditions must be met. The recommendation is to have a level three HPR certification to test one’s rocket before being flown in competition, but it is possible to compete with up to a level two certification.
For these reasons, I have spearheaded Villanova's rocketry efforts and built a level one HPR with Villanova AIAA members for eventual participation in high level competitions. I managed to secure Rutgers University as a partner for Spaceport America Cup and have worked with them on level one certification for both of our schools. Many of the students in our programs have had no prior experience with rocketry, including myself, so we learned from scratch during the Fall 2020 semester. We managed to build a functional level one rocket in about two weeks to meet the flight deadline for a local launch site.
The power of the motor/propellant being used generally determines if a rocket is classified as level one, two, or three. We chose an H123W-14A motor, which is a level one classification. The first letter denotes the impulse power classification of the motor, with any given letter representing a maximum impulse range of double that of the previous letter in alphabetical order. The first number denotes the average thrust of the motor in Newtons, in this case 123 N. The second letter denotes the color of the propellant, in this case white (W). The number after the dash indicates the amount of burn time before the ejection charge goes off, which deploys the parachute, in this case 14 seconds. The final letter indicates if the delay is adjustable, in this case it is adjustable (A). Level one certification requires an F-I motor, level two J-L, and level three M-O. We chose an H motor which is within the level one certification requirements. We also built the base rocket off of the Hi-tech kit from the website Apogee Components.
The attachments show the L1 rocket, dubbed "The Wildcat," along with the simulation I put together using software called OpenRocket, and the video of it being launched at the Maryland Delaware Rocketry Association. The rocket successfully achieved apogee at about 2,350 feet, but it unfortunately did not pass certification. The parachute shock cord was ripped from the main body when the ejection charge detonated, so the main body and payload bay came down separately. Despite this, the opportunity served as a massive learning experience by providing my team with fundamental knowledge of High Power Rocketry. We all had a lot of fun with the project and I think this will be the foundation for a burgeoning new club at Villanova that brings together students passionate about space. The goal is to reach level three certification by the time I graduate (2022) to pave the way for future undergrads.
• Self-taught in basic rocketry fundamentals such as motor propellants, payloads, avionics, parachute deployment, and rocket design (fins, body, nosecone) which will be necessary for self-designed level three rockets. Built from hi-tech kit online.
• Simulated on OpenRocket software by massing all parts, determined center of pressure, center of gravity, and point of apogee and parachute deployment.
• Launched to apogee at the Maryland Delaware Rocketry Association.
• Continuing Villanova's rocketry efforts as part of AIAA in the coming semesters.
I am the space projects lead for Villanova University's American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) branch, a professional society that has been relatively dormant on Villanova’s campus in the past several years compared to societies like ASME or IEEE, which is something I am seeking to change. I have explored options to better involve Villanova in the realms of space and aerospace, with one interesting endeavor being High Power Rocketry (HPR). Schools from all over the world can compete against one another in events such as the Spaceport America Cup. This competition aims to launch student-built rockets to 10,000 and 30,000 feet using solid, liquid, or hybrid based propulsion and only commercial off the shelf components, similar to the way Formula SAE competes by building a formula-style racing car from the ground up each year. In order to compete, however, certifications are required and a plethora of conditions must be met. The recommendation is to have a level three HPR certification to test one’s rocket before being flown in competition, but it is possible to compete with up to a level two certification.
For these reasons, I have spearheaded Villanova's rocketry efforts and built a level one HPR with Villanova AIAA members for eventual participation in high level competitions. I managed to secure Rutgers University as a partner for Spaceport America Cup and have worked with them on level one certification for both of our schools. Many of the students in our programs have had no prior experience with rocketry, including myself, so we learned from scratch during the Fall 2020 semester. We managed to build a functional level one rocket in about two weeks to meet the flight deadline for a local launch site.
The power of the motor/propellant being used generally determines if a rocket is classified as level one, two, or three. We chose an H123W-14A motor, which is a level one classification. The first letter denotes the impulse power classification of the motor, with any given letter representing a maximum impulse range of double that of the previous letter in alphabetical order. The first number denotes the average thrust of the motor in Newtons, in this case 123 N. The second letter denotes the color of the propellant, in this case white (W). The number after the dash indicates the amount of burn time before the ejection charge goes off, which deploys the parachute, in this case 14 seconds. The final letter indicates if the delay is adjustable, in this case it is adjustable (A). Level one certification requires an F-I motor, level two J-L, and level three M-O. We chose an H motor which is within the level one certification requirements. We also built the base rocket off of the Hi-tech kit from the website Apogee Components.
The attachments show the L1 rocket, dubbed "The Wildcat," along with the simulation I put together using software called OpenRocket, and the video of it being launched at the Maryland Delaware Rocketry Association. The rocket successfully achieved apogee at about 2,350 feet, but it unfortunately did not pass certification. The parachute shock cord was ripped from the main body when the ejection charge detonated, so the main body and payload bay came down separately. Despite this, the opportunity served as a massive learning experience by providing my team with fundamental knowledge of High Power Rocketry. We all had a lot of fun with the project and I think this will be the foundation for a burgeoning new club at Villanova that brings together students passionate about space. The goal is to reach level three certification by the time I graduate (2022) to pave the way for future undergrads.
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