First things first, check out this great video of the cannon launch! Best one I’ve seen by far (thanks to Chuck Rudy at MDRA!), it follows the rocket really great:
http://www.mdrocketry.org/photos/esl100/ChuckRudy/Full/ESL100CanonLaunch.mov
Ok, since the cannon launch I’ve mostly been working, and taking it easy. I had decided to scrap the current altimeter (a MiniAlt WD) and build my own solution that could detect launch from the cannon, airstart the rocket engine, and handle dual deployment. I started designing it today, when I thought I’d check the current offerings of the G-Wiz guys. You may remember it was the MC2 that sort of let me down last year when it died after I [cough] slightly modified it to fit inside a 29mm rocket. Well… the LCX looks bloody perfect! It should fit VERY easily into the 29mm rocket, and it looks like it has all the features I need, and one version can even have a 200g accelerometer! Ooooohhh…. I’m excited. Now I just need to find somebody that CARRIES the 200g version.
What else is new? I’ve ordered an Aerotech 29/360 system, along with 3 I-200 reloads. Holy crap that thing will scream. RockSim is estimating 1300+ fps and 9500 ft altitude, without the help of the cannon.
Speaking of cannons, I’ve been thinking a lot about a future cannon. This one would pull out all the stops. Aluminum instead of PVC? A bigger better valve? Replace compressed air with something with a higher speed-of-sound like helium or even steam (those crazy launchers that fling fighter jets off of aircraft carriers use steam)? Use a sprung piston to compress the working fluid at firing time the way high-performance air rifles and the crazy gas guns do? Evacuate the barrel in front of the cannon? The rocket would have to be carbon fiber or something similar. But this kind of a monster could pack an incredible punch.
