Estes Oracle Model Rocket Launch

This was the first launch of my Estes Oracle model rocket with it's built in USB cam. Launch occured on 1/27/2007 on a boy scout outting with BSA Troop 716 to Vandenburge Air Force Base.

It was quiet windy, and the launch rod on my large launch pad was too large for the rocket, so I was forced to use a small launch pad. The launch angle was too low, and instead of going up, it went in a low parabola.

When the ejection charge blew, the shock cord connecting the body of the rocket with the nose cone and parachute broke, and the body fell to the ground, landing in a area of dense brush. The nose cone with camera landed up in a tree, as you can see in the video.

I can't wait to launch this thing again, in less windy conditions with a better launcher.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• rocket
• launch
• BSA
• 716

[windsurfingfun]

Nice!

Dude, was that a shovel recovery? Before you launch next time, re-align your fins. This will promote camera stability due to less roll.

[bloaterpaste]

It wasn't a fin issue. The morning had gotten late, and the wind had picked up a bit. We'd be launching a lot of small rockets that were really affected by the gusts, so and I overcorrected. The large rocket was hardly pushed around at all, and had a nice parabolic arc, at maybe a 60 degree angle. So, it was basically going sideways.

[bloaterpaste]

As you can see in the video, it landed in a tree, and the nose was undamaged. The body of the rocket became seperated from the cone at the ejection charge. Guess I didn't glue it well enough. Only a small ding in the body, though. It's flyable again.

[Roncace]

did the fins remain intact upon impact?

[bloaterpaste]

Yep, they sure did.

[kamidrummer]

that had to suck....

[seefuHOTSAUCE]

That must have sucked, but since you posted this six months ago im pretty sure you got a new one.

[KWatson1984]

Well, I got my rocket back. I went back two hours later and luckily it had blown out of the tree. Only damage was a frayed parachute line. I'll try to record the second launch tomorrow.

[KWatson1984]

I lost my brand new rocket today on it's first flight. Conditions were great, sunny, little wind, huge field, but the parachute worked a little too well and carried the rocket across 3 soccer fields, a parking lot, and a little league baseball field to land in the top of a 70ft tree.