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Instructions for subsystems to submit mass & length information Instructions for Adding Data to Length & Mass Tracking Spreadsheet
Spreadsheet to track information for each cycle. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1poRCKzhNSZfQRoP2KN2xZRwuLLkZauFutRtuNmLCAjw/edit#gid=0 https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1JRF1jpii5KTwKIDkutjp5YCkuJp4Eh8oAxtDvMn6QBs/edit?usp=share_link
Documentation on overall process (design doc) https://uwaterloo.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/ROCKETRY/pages/edit-v2/43224662139
Mini reports at each cycle. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1llZpvqR2ySNqaO2CX9GxES7BDVpa7x_HQdchj9B6Eb8/edit?usp=share_link
Document/s to track OpenRocket and loading analysis simulation outputs.
Cycle 1 what we are simulating: Cycle 1 what are we simulating:
Cycle 1 simulation data:https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1O7EI6IzpHXXCWCLqXju4nxJKGlHdr366o6npeITfkjM/edit#gid=0
Cycle 2 what we are simulating What we are simulating in Cycle 2
Deliverables Timeline
Startup work: (starting early sept. ending at end of sept.)
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10-14-2022
Almost finalized the spreadsheet just waiting on last lengths to be put in by roman now which changes a few CG values
Realizing won’t account for CG changing due to min/max mass scenarios. Determined this should be fine for this cycle.
Created list of what we want to simulate, and excel to track data
Decided to use RSE files from previous simulations (early KOTS 2023 simulations) as new ones were not created for this yet. Trying 100% thrust, 120% and 150% as decided by Joel and Aaron.
01-28-2023
Just realized I haven’t put updates here in forever.
We finished cycle 1 essentially on estimated schedule and published the mini report.
The cycle 2 data took a little bit longer to gather and be confident in because of a lack of work over the holidays and also due to wanting to be very confident in this data but unfortunately a lot of designs on the rocket are not yet at a place where they can give us good estimations. Also the SF got delayed a week until today.
One unfortunate part of this is that the 3d printed metal fill bulkhead design needed to be sent away for printing in January around the 24th. For this they needed fairly good loading calculations so we decided to add a cycle 1.5. This used the data currently gathered alongside some rough estimations of: engine data, airframe weight sections and other sections in general. This was then simulated with two types of fins (clipped delta and trapezoid) based on research about what was the best shapes. This generally showed that clipped delta was better for apogee and also that the fin size of last years rocket is actually a good estimation of what we will need this year. This is new information as previously it was thought it would be able to be smaller than last year. However I think due to a length reduction and possibly other factors the inherent stability of the rocket has decreased. We are currently planning on completing cycle 2 around mid February according to the plan laid out in this document https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JNvpdeczEOeFuUGfQ1QNFMN_b9wIcHwRmjX0BIFrfug/edit#.
A weather review of New Mexico conditions was also completed to analyze the conditions we are using in our simulations and for further use as to weather variation in stability. This is located https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16RH75F2kThyLBTv0jcvQgWOC8h9-sMPgf0onBELOxmY/edit#gid=0
Sensitivity analysis was done on various nosecone and boattail shapes to determine if they need to be taken into consideration at this point. Neither significantly changed stability. Nosecone shape can be improved by changing to a power series with 1/2 shape parameter. This would improve apogee by around 400ft however this is most likely not going to be done as remaking nosecone moulds is prohibitive in both team member time and manufacturing time. The boattail various shapes had very little effect on flight with a perfectly square extension of the rocket reducing apogee by around 300ft and various curvatures not making a large impact.
A big drop in stability was noticed around the end of the engine burn which makes our lowest stability at a very different time than previously. The cause of this difference is mostly unknown.