Student Launch. Enclosed: Proposal. Submitted by: Rocket Team Project Lead: David Eilken. Submission Date: September 30, 2016

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1 University of Evansville Student Launch Enclosed: Proposal Submitted by: Rocket Team Project Lead: David Eilken Submission Date: September 30, 2016 Payload: Fragile Material Protection Submitted to: NASA Student Launch Initiative Program Officials Faculty of the UE Mechanical Engineering Program University of Evansville College of Engineering and Computer Science 1800 Lincoln Avenue; Evansville, Indiana i P a g e

2 Abstract The following proposal is for the NASA University Student Launch Initiative (USLI). This project is a research based competition that promotes teamwork, academic development, and community outreach [1]. Throughout this project the University of Evansville Student Launch team, Project ACE, will design, develop, and launch a reusable rocket. Project ACE s rocket is split into 4 subsections: airframe, propulsion, recovery, and payload. The airframe will consist of two carbon fiber body tubes, a fiberglass nosecone, and 3 fiberglass fins. The total length of the rocket is projected to be 104. Drag acting on the airframe will be calculated using OpenRocket and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and will be validated with wind tunnel testing. The rocket is expected to weigh approximately 25.3 pounds (without the motor) and will be propelled by an Aerotech L850W motor. Project ACE will use a dual-deployment recovery system with redundant electrical systems to ensure proper execution of the recovery process. Black powder charges will be used to separate the rocket first at apogee, then again at around 1000 feet to deploy the drogue and main parachute, respectively. The team has chosen to design a fragile materials protection system that will be housed in the bow section of the rocket. The payload is designed to have concentric cylinders attached with wire rope isolators and traditional springs in order to absorb and dampen the vibrations of the rocket s flight. Major project deliverables and deadlines include the Preliminary Design Review (PDR) on October 31 st, the Critical Design Review (CDR) on January 13 th, and the Flight Readiness Review (FRR) on March 6 th. Launch Day for the NASA Student Launch Initiative will be on April 8 th. The anticipated budget for this project is $10, ii P a g e

3 Table of Contents Abstract... ii List of Figures... v List of Tables... vi Introduction... 1 Team Structure... 1 Background... 2 Project Objectives... 3 Facilities & Equipment... 4 Safety... 6 Safety Plan... 6 Procedures for NAR/TRA to Perform... 8 Pre-Launch Briefing... 9 Caution Statements... 9 Legal Compliance Purchase, Storage, Transport, and Use of Rocket Motors/Energetic Devices Statement of Understanding and Compliance with Safety Regulations Technical Approach General Vehicle Specifications Projected Altitude iii P a g e

4 Recovery Propulsion Ignition System Electronic Payload Main Payload Areas of Risk Technical Requirements / Countermeasures Project Deliverables Project Schedule Project Budget Funding Plan Educational Engagement Sustainability Summary References Appendix A - High Powered Rocketry Safety Code Appendix B OpenRocket Inputs & Data Appendix C Detailed Task Breakdown Appendix D Detailed Parts List / Cost Tracking iv P a g e

5 List of Figures Figure 1 - Team Structure... 2 Figure 2 - Rocket Isometric View... 3 Figure 3 - Primary Workspace... 4 Figure 4 - Wind Tunnel for testing... 5 Figure 5- Annotated Overview of Rocket Figure 6 - Isometric View of 3D Model Figure 7 - Annotated Side View Figure 8 - Fin Drawing Figure 9 - Mass Breakdown of Rocket Figure 10 - Full Body with Dimensions Figure 11 - Cross Section with Dimensions Figure 12 - Simulation Results of Altitude, Vertical Velocity, and Vertical Acceleration Figure 13 - Projected dynamics during main parachute deployment Figure 14 - Propulsion Schematic Figure 15 - Cylinder 1, Outer Cylinder Figure 16 - Cylinder 2, Inner Cylinder Figure 17 - Gantt Chart Figure 18 - Budget Breakdown v P a g e

6 List of Tables Table 1 - Important Contacts... 1 Table 2 - Risk Assessment... 7 Table 3 - Table of Parts Associated with Annontated Side View Table 4 - Motor Details Table 5 - Fragile Housing Support Material Matrix Table 6 - Areas of Risk Table 7 - Launch Vehicle Requirements & Countermeasures Table 8 - Recovery Requirements & Countermeasures Table 9 - Payload Requirements & Countermeasures Table 10 - Project Deliverables Table 11 - Critical Dates Table 12 - Budget Table 13 - Funding Sources vi P a g e

7 Introduction Team Structure Information on the team structure is broken down into main components: important contacts and team members. The important contacts are displayed in Table 1. Table 1 - Important Contacts Category Name Contact Information Location Safety Officer Team Lead Adult Educator A Adult Educator B NAR Section Bryan Bauer David Eilken Dr. David Unger Dr. Jessie Lofton Laünch Crüe (NAR Section 519) [2] (314) bb199@evansville.edu (630) de47@evansville.edu (812) du2@evansville.edu (812) jb363@evansville.edu University of Evansville Evansville, IN University of Evansville Evansville, IN 8991 West, County Road 900 S. Holland, Indiana Project ACE consists of 8 fourth-year students, 2 third-year students, and 6 second-year students. It is anticipated 6 first year students will join the team in January. Currently, Project ACE classifies these first-year students as unofficial members. This leads to a team of 22 students. It should be noted that one fourth-year student is working on a volunteer basis. The team is broken down into six subsections Propulsion, Aerodynamics, Main Payload, Electronics Payload, Recovery, and Safety/Education. There is a fourth-year student in charge of each subsection. Payloads A & B have an additional fourth-year student to assist in the electronics portion of the design. Each fourth-year student has either a second-year student, third-year student, or both, assisting in the design, building, and testing of the respective 1 P a g e

8 components. Each of these team members ultimately report to the team lead who works with the adult educators to ensure that the project is progressing adequately. A flow chart of the team breakdown can be seen in Figure 1. Figure 1 - Team Structure Background NASA s Student Launch Initiative (USLI) is a research based, nationally recognized competition. Project ACE, fielded by the University of Evansville, aims to compete and succeed in this competition. In short, the team proposes to launch a high powered rocket exactly 5,280 feet above ground level with a scientific payload onboard. The path to this competition will involve substantial engineering design, predictive modeling, wind tunnel testing, sub-scale 2 P a g e

9 testing, and full-scale testing. In addition to this, Project ACE aims to communicate regularly with NASA officials to ensure compliance with competition guidelines, and to expand upon the team s knowledge of high power rocket design. The purpose for taking part in this competition is three fold. First, the team wants to bring national recognition to the University of Evansville by competing in such a prominent competition. Secondly, the proposed project will greatly enhance team member s technical & teaming skills through the myriad of challenges offered by USLI. Finally, the team wants to use this project to provide meaningful scientific data to NASA from payload findings. Project Objectives This proposal contains the framework for how Project ACE plans to meet objectives. Both quantitative and qualitative objectives have been set forth for this project. The team s primary goal is to successfully launch and recover a high power rocket that meets all specified criteria (an isometric view of this rocket is shown in Figure 2.) This includes that the team participates in all Figure 2 - Rocket Isometric View 3 P a g e

10 necessary design reviews and report submissions. Project ACE intends to fly between 5,125 feet & 5,375 feet. The team anticipates being able to shrink this altitude window as more is learned about predicative capabilities. It is also an objective to field a payload that is successful (cargo does not break) and has meaningful scientific data backing it. The data collected should clearly indicate the optimal setup to provide for a successful payload, along with considerations for alternatives. Qualitative goals involve local community outreach activities & learning. For community outreach, Project ACE intends to provide meaningful interactions with youth in the community that ultimately increases their interest in STEM. Lastly, team members will strive to gain substantial insight on rocketry and the science behind it. Facilities & Equipment The primary workspace available is the Energy Systems lab at the University of Evansville. Figure 3 - Primary Workspace 4 P a g e

11 The specific area where the rocket will be constructed is shown in Figure 3. The team has access to the room 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This lab has room for construction of the rocket, and houses the wind tunnel needed to run the scale model testing. The wind tunnel that will be used for testing is shown in Figure 4. Figure 4 - Wind Tunnel for testing The lab is located in the same building as the machine shop, which allows the team access to all of the tools and machines needed to build and assemble the rocket. These machines include, but are not limited to, a CNC Mill, CNC Lathe, band saw and drill press. 5 P a g e

12 Safety Safety Plan The materials used by the team for the creation of the rocket are subject to change depending upon the results obtained from subscale and pre-launch tests, which will focus on the reliability, durability, and functionality of various pieces of the rocket. The major structural materials that will be used for the launch vehicle include Blue Tube, aluminum, carbon fiber, and G10 fiberglass. These materials will be used for components including the motor mount, fins, body, and nosecone. When fabricating these materials, masks will be worn to avoid inhaling the fine dust produced by sanding and cutting operations. Furthermore, nylon will be used for the parachute and shock cords, and epoxy will be used to adhere each section together. To ensure safe handling of these materials, materials safety data sheets (MSDS) will be kept on file in the Energy Systems Lab so that each team member has access to them at all. For further detail on the hazards associated with each material, a risk assessment can be found in Table 2. In this assessment the probability of each risk occurring is estimated on a low-medium-high scale, and the severity of the risk is measured on a 1-to-4 scale, with 4 being a low risk, and 1 having a severe impact. Lastly, proposed mitigations are also given for each risk to help thwart potential hazards and accidents. 6 P a g e

13 Table 2 - Risk Assessment Risk Assessment Risk/Hazard Description Likelihood Severity Proposed Mitigation Epoxy Dust Particles Tools and Machinery in Lab Rocket Propellant Black Powder Motor Handling/Accidental Ignition Launch Failure Parachute Deployment Failure Inhalation of toxic fumes, or accidental ingestion or contact with skin leading to irritation or rash Inhalation of dust particles from sanding or machining operations resulting in breathing problems Improper handling of shop tools or machining operations leading to personal injury or destruction of equipment Exposure to rocket fuel in contact with skin leading to irritation and burns Gases may be toxic if exposed in areas with inadequate ventilation. Also keep away from open flame, sparks, and heat Improper handling or storage of motor resulting in accidental or unexpected ignition Failure of motor to ignite and launch rocket properly Failure of the parachute to deploy leading to freefall of rocket back to ground High 4 High 4 Medium 3 Medium 2 Medium 2 Low 1 Low 1 Low 1 Work in well ventilated spaces, and wear gloves when handling the epoxy Work in well ventilated spaces, and wear a mask when sanding to avoid inhaling dust particles Ensure proper training for all team members working with any tool or machinery Properly transport motor from offsite location to launch site using proper PPE Store in fireproof cabinet to keep away from fire and high temperatures Properly transport motor from offsite location to launch site. Ensure proper connections before launch Maintain safe distance from launch pad. Have team mentor/safety officer inspect rocket on launch pad Maintain safe distance from launch pad The main facility that the team will utilize when fabricating the rocket is a laboratory space in the Bowen Labs at the University of Evansville. This room was chosen because of its close 7 P a g e

14 proximity to the machine shop, which will be used when machining and fabricating various pieces of the rocket. In addition to this, an added benefit of this area is that it houses a ventilation hood. This added safety benefit which will be very helpful when team members are handling epoxy or exposed to debris during the painting and sanding of the rocket. Bryan Bauer, the team safety officer, will be responsible for overseeing the safety of University of Evansville students/faculty and all the members of the team throughout the entirety of the project. His responsibilities will include, but are not limited to, working with team members in the selection of materials to ensure the safest components that allow full functionality are being used, assisting and educating team members on the risks and hazards associated with the fabrication or implementation of materials to the rocket, and ensuring all NAR and FAA safety guidelines, rules, and requirements are observed during subscale and full scale testing at the local rocketry club as well as the competition in Huntsville, Alabama. Furthermore, before all launches, all team members will be educated on the risks associated with each part of the rocket, and each person will briefed on the risk assessment, detailing the proper procedures to follow in order to mitigate and control these hazards. Procedures for NAR/TRA to Perform The University of Evansville Rocketry Team agrees to abide by all rules and regulations set forth by the NAR and TRA for high powered rocketry. Before launch, each team member will be briefed on the high powered rocketry safety regulations, which can be found in their entirety in Appendix A. Additionally, each team member will be given a copy of the rules to review to ensure safe flight. 8 P a g e

15 Pre-Launch Briefing As previously mentioned, all team members will go through a pre-launch briefing to discuss the various risks associated with launch, and how each of these potential hazards can be mitigated to avoid accidents. This meeting will be run by the safety officer, Bryan Bauer, and will be mandatory for all team members to attend who are working on the project due to the breadth of safety information that will be covered beyond the launch day application. In addition to launch-day safety, the presentation will also cover proper lab safety operation procedures, for things such as painting, sanding, or machining, as well as the proper personal protection equipment that goes along with each of these operations. After proper briefing and full understanding by all team members, the registered safety office (RSO) will give his approval to launch. Overall, the purpose of this safety meeting is to ensure the safety of the team members as well as bystanders, along with the university and all of its equipment. These briefings will take place before each launch and also when deemed necessary by the safety officer. As different phases of the project begin, in particular the building phase, the team will meet to be reminded of the risks associated with the tasks they are about to complete, thus helping avoid any neglectful behavior and accidents. Any team member who does not adhere to the safety plan and rules set forth by the NAR and TRA will not be allowed to participate in any hands-on activity with the rocket. Caution Statements The importance of personal protection equipment (PPE) and proper use of all tools will be heavily emphasized in a meeting that will take place before the build phase of the project. In addition to this meeting, a chart will be constructed that will display the proper PPE for each 9 P a g e

16 operation during the building and fabrication phase. Furthermore, material safety data sheets (MSDS) will be stored in an accessible place in the workshop so that all team members can access them and review the potential risks of the substance that will be handled before construction. Legal Compliance The UE Rocket Team and all members agree to fully comply with all federal, state, and local laws regarding unmanned rocket launches and motor handling. The safety officer will brief all team members on these rules and regulations prior to each launch of the rocket. Throughout the project, the team will attend monthly launches of the NAR Section 519 rocketry club, the Laünch Crüe, which is located in Holland, Indiana. The team s relationship with this established NAR chapter will allow for interaction with other experienced individuals in the area of high powered rocketry and will allow for mentoring, guidance, and support. In addition to this, the team plans to run all tests at this facility, which is in compliance with all FAA rules and has the ability to receive a waiver allowing rockets to be launched to 10,000 feet. Purchase, Storage, Transport, and Use of Rocket Motors/Energetic Devices The team plans to purchase the rocket motors and all reloads form AeroTech, a licensed rocketry motor vendor. All motors will be purchased by Dr. David Unger, a team mentor who has Level 2 certification with the NAR, and will shipped directly to the University of Evansville in his name. Upon arrival, the motors will be stored in a fireproof case. When testing the rocket, following the pre-launch safety meeting, the safety officer will transport all the motors necessary along with other energetic devices to the launch site in the fireproof case. 10 P a g e

17 Statement of Understanding and Compliance with Safety Regulations All team members of the UE Rocket Team will be briefed of the safety rules and regulations and agree to comply with said rules. The team understands that the range safety officer will inspect each rocket before it is flown, and has the final decision as to whether or not the rocket is safe to fly. If the rocket is deemed unsafe to fly by the safety inspector, the team will not fly the rocket until all issues are addressed, and the rocket is re-inspected by the safety officer. The team also recognizes that failure to abide by these rules will result in disqualification and removal from the program. 11 P a g e

18 Technical Approach General Vehicle Specifications The airframe for the rocket is split into 4 main systems: electronic payload, main payload, recovery, and propulsion. These systems are depicted on Figure 5. The electronic payload will be housed in the nosecone. Ballast will be mounted to the bow side of the electronic payload s mount. The main payload section will house the fragile materials payload and will be held in place by a bulkhead on the aft end and by the nosecone shoulder on the bow end. The recovery section will house the main parachute, the drogue parachute, and the recovery electronics bay. The propulsion section will house the thrust plate, centering rings, inner tube, and fins. Material considerations for the airframe included fiberglass, carbon fiber, and Blue Tube. The team intends to use carbon fiber for the body tubes because it has a higher tensile strength, lower density, and a lower ductility compared to that of fiberglass or Blue Tube. Flexibility in a rocket airframe is an unwanted characteristic so a lower ductility is beneficial. In addition, the higher tensile strength of carbon fiber will ensure a higher allowable stress than that of fiber glass. The bulkheads will be made of 0.25 aluminum. They will be milled on a 3-axis CNC mill. Aluminum will be used to ensure the Figure 5- Annotated Overview of Rocket recovery and propulsion sections have strong attachment points. 12 P a g e

19 Fiberglass and plywood are common choices for bulkheads because they are sturdy, lightweight materials. However, since the design of the rocket is for an L-class motor, weight is not a constraint for material selection. This allows the team to choose a stronger material (aluminum) over fiberglass or plywood. An isometric exploded view of the 3D model for the rocket can be seen in Figure 6. Figure 6 - Isometric View of 3D Model 13 P a g e

20 The material for the fins and nosecone will be G-10 fiberglass because it can be commercially purchased at a low cost. The nosecone will have an ogive profile with a 4:1 length ratio, bought commercially. Additionally, fiberglass fins offer more strength than that of balsa wood. A G-10 fiberglass sheet will be purchased and milled to the proper shape again using the 3-axis CNC mill. Carbon fiber and ULTEM plastic are also materials used for fin design; however, these choices provide little benefit while carrying a significantly higher cost. An overview of the main components housed in the body is shown in Figure 7 and in Table 3. Figure 7 - Annotated Side View Table 3 - Table of Parts Associated with Annontated Side View Part Name Material Part Name Material 1 Ogive Nosecone Fiberglass 9 Engine Block Aluminum 2 Main Payload - 10 Inner Tube Blue Tube 3 Payload Bulkhead Aluminum 11 Bow Centering Ring Aluminum 4 Bow Recovery Bulkhead Aluminum 12 Aft Centering Ring Aluminum 5 Drogue Nylon 13 Thrust Plate Aluminum 6 Recovery Electronics Bay - 14 Fin Fiberglass 7 Main Parachute Nylon 15 Bow Body Tube Carbon Fiber 8 Aft Recovery Bulkhead Aluminum 16 Aft Body Tube Carbon Fiber 14 P a g e

21 The clipped delta design will be used for the fins with the dimensions provided in Figure 8. This design offers a large surface area to stabilize the rockets while creating little drag. The fins will have a thickness of As shown, the fins will have a height of 7.5, a root chord of 11.5, and a tip chord of 5.8. This equates to a total surface area of approximately 63 in 2. Figure 8 - Fin Drawing Values for mass have been estimated for each section of the rocket. The mass breakdown is presented in Figure 9. The total projected rocket weight is 33.5 lbf including motor. 15 P a g e

22 Mass Breakdown *All weights lbf Motor, 8.1, 24% Aerodynamics, 10.1, 30% Electronic Payload, 1.0, 3% Recovery, 7.9, 24% Propulsion, 2.3, 7% Main Payload, 4.1, 12% Figure 9 - Mass Breakdown of Rocket The total length of the rocket is expected to be 104, using 5.5 diameter body tubes. The lengths of the body tubes and nosecone can be seen in Figure 10. The lengths of the individual subsections can are included on Figure 11. The nosecone, including shoulder, is The main payload section is 12 long. The recovery section is 34 long. The propulsion section is 22 long. The bow body tube is designed with 2 of open space in order to accommodate unforseen changes in the lengths of the sections housed in the bow body tube. 16 P a g e

23 The aft body tube is designed to use the full length of the tube (48 ) in order to move the center of gravity towards the bow. This will increase the calipers (cal) between the center of pressure (CP) and the center of gravity (CG), thus increasing stability. The CP is currently located 83.6 aft of the tip of the nosecone. The CG is currently located 68.8 aft of the tip of the nosecone. These are shown on Figure 2. The CG and CP are represented by the blue dot and red dot respectively. This configuration produces a stability of 2.67 cal, which is 0.67 cal higher than required by the NASA USLI 2017 Student Handbook. 17 P a g e

24 Figure 10 - Full Body with Dimensions Figure 11 - Cross Section with Dimensions 18 P a g e

25 Projected Altitude The projected altitude was calculated using OpenRocket, an open source software. This open source software has similarities between commercially available software such as Rocksim. OpenRocket originated at Helsinki University of Technology as a Master s Thesis by Sampo Niskanen [3]. OpenRocket is also used regularly by other SLI teams. The estimated altitude for the rocket is 5,384ft, prior to adding ballast to the simulation. The team will maintain an up-todate OpenRocket simulation because of the uncertainty in rocket weight. These weights will become more precise during the design phase and exact during the build phase. Currently, the uncertainty only alters the projected altitude by 75 feet in either direction. A plan is to add around 50% of the allowable ballast to lower the projected altitude to exactly 5,280 feet. This will give more flexibility in either direction for fine tuning. See Figure 12 for the simulation Figure 12 - Simulation Results of Altitude, Vertical Velocity, and Vertical Acceleration 19 P a g e

26 results for the expected altitude, velocity, and acceleration of the rocket. Inputs for OpenRocket can be found in Appendix B. Recovery The launch vehicle will utilize a dual-deployment recovery system with redundant altimeters to ensure that the vehicle lands safely and at a reasonable distance from the launch site. A 12 long coupling tube will house the recovery electronic systems, and will serve to unite the two carbon-fiber body tubes. At apogee, a black powder ejection charge will pressurize the volume above the coupling tube, separating the rocket into two sections and deploying a small, ripstop nylon drogue parachute. When the rocket has descended to an altitude of 1000 feet, a second black powder ejection charge will pressurize the volume below the coupling tube, separating the rocket again and deploying the main parachute, also made of ripstop nylon. All three sections of the rocket will be tethered together using lengths of tubular nylon cord, protected from the ejection charges by flameproof fabric and attached to the bulkheads using eyebolts. The coupling tube containing the electronics will be sealed on both ends using plywood bulkheads. The electronics will be mounted to a plywood sled secured to the bulkheads by threaded rods. Two independently-powered PerfectFlite StratoLogger CF altimeters will be used as the main and backup recovery altimeters. Each altimeter will be armed independently using a rotary locking switch. Additionally, two igniters will be inserted into each black powder ejection charge (one wired to the main altimeter and one to the backup) to ensure that both parachutes are deployed. Nomex flameproof fabric shields will be used to protect the parachutes from the hightemperature black powder explosions. 20 P a g e

27 Using the average atmospheric and weather conditions for an April day in Huntsville, Alabama, a number of OpenRocket simulations were conducted to choose the best combination of parachutes; a 24 drogue parachute and a 72 main parachute will be utilized. This size drogue parachute provides a safe initial descent rate of 75 ft/s, which is suitable for keeping the landing site within 600 ft of the launch site, while also ensuring that the main parachute does not open under excessive speed. The main parachute generates a maximum acceleration of 425 ft/s 2 upon deployment, and causes the rocket to impact the ground with a speed of 18.9 ft/s, as shown in Figure 13. It should be noted that Figure 13 presents the same data as Figure 14, but focuses on the parachute deployment portion of the flight. The nose cone of the rocket will have the maximum kinetic energy of any section, impacting the ground with 71 ft-lbf of energy. Figure 13 - Projected dynamics during main parachute deployment 21 P a g e

28 Propulsion With the rocket weighting 25.3 pounds at burnout, a large level 2 motor was needed to reach the projected altitude. After studying the L & K class motors, the K class motors were determined to be insufficient as they consistently projected an altitude well below 5,280ft. The team opted for the L class motor, which OpenRocket predicts to reach just above the mile marker. The L class motor ensures that Project ACE has the flexibility to reach the mile marker even with moderate wind conditions. This motor also gives more design flexibility considering current uncertainty in weight. As seen in Figure 12, the maximum velocity and acceleration are 631 ft/s and 229 ft/s 2, respectively; resulting in a Mach number of The motor will have three centering rings and one bulkhead. The centering rings will be made out of either aluminum or G10 fiberglass and the bulk head will be made out of aluminum. The centering rings along the inner tube will be positioned to allow a tab for the fins to be attached to both the centering rings and the inner tube. The centering ring on the aft end of the motor mount will be 0.75 thick to allow a retaining ring to be attached to secure the motor in place. The inner tube will be a 2.95 (75mm) diameter Blue Tube to hold the motor casing in place. This tube will be 21 long to have enough room for the motor casing. Figure 14 is a diagram of the motor mount and components needed for the propulsion section. 22 P a g e

29 Bulkhead Centering Rings Inner Tube and Motor Figure 14 - Propulsion Schematic The motor that will be used is an AeroTech L850W. This is the preliminary selection for the rocket. Motor specifications can be found in Table 4. Table 4 - Motor Details Manufacturer Make Total Impulse Weight Weight Empty Length Diameter Type Burn Time Average Thrust Max Thrust AeroTech L850W 3695 Ns 8.1 lbs 3.54 lbs 20.9 in 2.95 in Reloadable 4.24 s 868 N 1185 N 23 P a g e

30 With the motor selected, analysis will begin using FEA to ensure that the centering rings will not shear from the body and inner tube. The FEA results will later be validated by strain gauges. Ignition System According to the 2017 NASA Student Launch Handbook, the High Power Rocket Safety Code states that the rocket will have an electrical launch system with electrical motor igniters. These requirements, provided by the NAR, state that the igniters are only to be installed once the rocket is at the launch pad or at an area designated for launch preparations. Other conditions that need to be met include a safety interlock within the launch system that is in series with the launch switch that is only installed once the rocket is ready to launch. The launch switch then must return to the "off" position once the system has been ignited. The ignition system being used for this project will be a ground-based system that has the ability to ignite an L-Class motor so that the target distance of one mile may be achieved. As mentioned in the Propulsion section of this proposal, the rocket's motor will be an Aerotech L850W. Based upon the L-Class motor specification, the ignition system will only require 300 feet of cord between the controller and the igniter switch. Launch Crüe local club has agreed to let Project ACE use their standard 12V firing system, which adheres to all requirements. Electronic Payload The official scoring altimeter will be an Altus Metrum TeleMega. This altimeter gives the team the ability to track the altimeter live while the rocket is in flight. It has an advanced accelerometer that will allow for detailed flight data which will be used to validate the team s models of the rocket during testing. The TeleMega also contains the GPS tracking device that is required by NASA. 24 P a g e

31 The altimeter will be mounted inside the nose cone. It will bolt to a plate so that it can be removed for servicing if necessary. The plate will be attached to mounting brackets inside the nose cone so that the altimeter is in an airtight chamber. This chamber needs to be waterproof to protect the altimeter during test flights in case the rocket happens to land in a pond at the testing site. To receive the data sent by the TeleMega, an antenna will be used on the ground. An Arrow Yagi Antenna will be connected to a laptop and which will record all data through open source software. Main Payload The design for the housing of the fragile material is comprised of two concentric cylinders connected via a spring system. This system can be seen in Figure 15 and Figure 16. Cylinder 1, the outer cylinder, which will have an OD matching the ID of the rocket s body tube is shown in Figure 15. This outer cylinder will also be relatively thin to maximize horizontal travel of the inner cylinder. Cylinder 1 will also serve as the mounting portion of the payload by resting between the drogue parachute and the nose cone. Cylinder 2, the inner cylinder, as well as one possible spring system can be found in Figure 16. The spring system mounts both to the outer surface of cylinder 1 (pictured) and inner surface of cylinder 2. Cylinder 1 and the spring system fit within the outer cylinder, thus creating the concentric cylinders. The springs labeled (a) are wire rope isolators and springs labeled (b) are traditional linear springs. 25 P a g e

32 Figure 15 - Cylinder 1, Outer Cylinder Figure 16 - Cylinder 2, Inner Cylinder Once the mathematical model is complete the number of traditional springs and wire rope isolators will be known. This model will determine the maximum spring constant needed to secure cylinder 2 within cylinder 1 while minimizing the force seen by the fragile material. By using springs, cylinder 2 receives forces gradually, thus reducing the maximum experienced force. The unknown object(s) will be placed within cylinder 1 which will be filled with a support material that will be determined experimentally. The material will be firm enough to hold the object in place within cylinder 2 so that it cannot bounce and hit the walls of the cylinder, leaving the spring system to reduce the majority of the forces. A matrix of possible support materials has been created and will be tested individually to select the best option. The material matrix can be seen in Table P a g e

33 Table 5 - Fragile Housing Support Material Matrix Testing Materials Weight # To Be Tested Egg 1.75 oz 2 Glass Stir Rod.2 oz Glass Sheet N/A N/A Light Bulb 1.1 oz 3 Small Ceramic/Porceline China N/A N/A Contact Support Materials (inside cylinder) Weight per cubic ft. Density Grain Size Liquid or Solid? Vescocity Aerogel N/A N/A N/A N/A Packing Peanuts.2 lb N/A Varies Solid N/A Non-newtonion Fluid N/A N/A N/A Both Varies High Density Foam (Cubes) Varies.93 g/cm^3 As needed Solid N/A Spray in High Density Foam Varies 3 lb /ft^3 N/A Solid N/A To test the different materials performance, a drop test will be performed at different heights to mimic the different impact forces caused by the main parachute ejection, impact with the ground, and drogue parachute release. The spring system will be designed and built after the mathematical model is finished and the number of springs is selected. Both components of the payload will be first tested separately and then together to isolate any potential issues. Areas of Risk In all projects there is inherent risk. Project ACE has prepared a list of areas of risk and proposed countermeasures or mitigations to them. Table 6 - Areas of Risk Number Area of Risk Proposed Countermeasure(s) Recovery electronics suffer battery failure. Recovery altimeter suffers an electrical failure or pressure malfunction. Recovery electronics are not armed for takeoff. Igniter fails to trigger ejection charge. Each altimeter will be powered by a separate 9-Volt battery. Fully charged batteries will be used for each launch. Two PerfectFlite Stratologger CF altimeters will be used to ensure parachute deployment at the proper altitudes. Rotary locking on-off switches will activate each recovery circuit. LED indicators will be used to show when the system is hot. Redundant igniters on separate circuits will be used for each ejection charge 27 P a g e

34 Number Area of Risk Proposed Countermeasure(s) Ejection charge causes damage to parachute or shock cord upon ignition. Body sections collide after parachute deployment. Shock cord tears through body tube upon parachute deployment. Nomex flameproof fabric will be used to shield the parachutes and shock cords. Long lengths of shock cord will tether the sections together, staggering the sections so that they hang at different lengths. Shock cord will be of sufficient length that the nylon will absorb the sudden acceleration. 8 Ejection charge fails to separate rocket sections. The amount of black powder will be carefully calculated to ensure that the parachute compartment is properly pressurized Rocket separates before ejection charge ignition. Parachute deployment supplies extreme acceleration to fragile payload. Drogue ejection force causes main parachute compartment to separate. Parachutes/shock cord become tangled during deployment/descent. Fragile Material breaks inside Cylinder 1. Inner cylinder bounces around within rocket tube. Motor being angled in the Motor Mount Motor falls out of the rocket after fuel is used Threaded nylon shear pins will be used to hold the rocket sections together. Parachute size will be optimized to minimize ground impact speed as well as maximum acceleration. Tubular nylon shock cord will stretch upon deployment to absorb extreme forces. Careful calculations will be used to determine the number of shear pins required to keep the main parachute compartment attached until desired ejection time. Parachutes and shock cord will be carefully packed to ensure smooth release. Soft insulator material will be on all surfaces of inner cylinder with support material holding fragile material in place. Concentric cylinder design with spring and damper system will hold both cylinders in place. Centering Rings will be used to ensure that the motor is concentric with the center of the rocket A retention system will be attached to the aft centering ring to ensure the motor stays in the motor mount 28 P a g e

35 Number Area of Risk Proposed Countermeasure(s) Motor s impulse causes it to shoot through the bow side of the inner tube Centering Ring shears from the impulse of the motor during flight Centering rings fails due to fatigue Centering is either too small in the outer diameter dimension or comes loose from motor impulse and vibration Deflection in the airframe due to stress from the recovery process on the bulkheads Damage to the fins or nosecone upon landing Rail button fails during launch Cracks in the airframe due to storage and transportation of rocket Gaps between airframe and recovery coupler or nosecone Collision with a bird Official Altimeter fails An aluminum engine block will be placed in front of the motor mount to ensure the motor does not shoot through The centering rings will be made from aluminum to withstand the shearing forces Because of aluminum does not have an infinite fatigue life, a redundant centering ring is used in the motor mount to keep the motor centered in the rocket G5000 Rocketpoxy will be used to close any gap between the centering ring and the body tube and to secure the centering ring from coming loose Carbon fiber will be used for the airframe as it has the largest tensile strength and the lowest ductility of all materials considered A spare fin will be machined and further spare fins and a spare nosecone will be accounted for in the budget Proper installation and alignment of rail buttons to avoid binding in the launch rails A pre-launch inspection of the rocket will be performed to check for cracks in the airframe All components will be purchased from rocketry suppliers to ensure minimal tolerances and a precision fit; a pre-launch inspection of the rocket will be performed to check for gaps Carbon fiber will be used for the airframe as it has the largest tensile strength in order to withstand impact forces and in-flight stresses The altimeter will be tested extensively prior to launch to ensure it can survive the flight. Technical Requirements / Countermeasures NASA declares all requirements for the launch vehicle, recovery system, and payload in their 2017 USLI Student Handbook. All requirements have been summarized in Table 7, Table 8, and 29 P a g e

36 Table 9. The requirements for the launch vehicle, along with the countermeasures associated are located in Table 7. Requirements for the recovery system and its respective countermeasures are shown in Table 8. A description of payload requirements and the proposed design features to satisfy its requirements are presented in Table 9. Handbook Number Table 7 - Launch Vehicle Requirements & Countermeasures Summarized Requirement Aerodynamics 1.1 The vehicle shall deliver the science or engineering payload to an apogee altitude of 5,280 feet above ground level (AGL). 1.2 The vehicle shall carry one commercially available, barometric altimeter for recording the official altitude used in determining the altitude award winner. 1.3 All recovery electronics shall be powered by commercially available batteries. 1.4 The launch vehicle shall be designed to be recoverable and reusable. Reusable is defined as being able to launch again on the same day without repairs or modifications. 1.5 The launch vehicle shall have a maximum of four (4) independent sections. An independent section is defined as a section that is either tethered to the main vehicle or is recovered separately from the main vehicle using its own parachute. Proposed Feature to Satisfy Requirement The rocket team will utilize OpenRocket, RockSim, CFD, & test flight data to achieve an accurate prediction of altitude. The rocket will house a Atlus Metrum TeleMega altimeter in the nosecone to record the official altitude used in determining the altitude award winner. Batteries & altimeter will be purchased from online rocketry sources. The rocket is reusable in design because we are using a motor that has refuels that can be reloaded into the motor under supervision. The launch vehicle will have 3 independent sections: the aft body tube, the bow body tube and nosecone, and the coupler. 30 P a g e

37 Handbook Number Summarized Requirement Aerodynamics 1.6 The launch vehicle shall be limited to a single stage. 1.7 The launch vehicle shall be capable of being prepared for flight at the launch site within 4 hours, from the time the Federal Aviation Administration flight waiver opens. 1.8 The launch vehicle shall be capable of remaining in launchready configuration at the pad for a minimum of 1 hour without losing the functionality of any critical on-board component. 1.9 The launch vehicle shall be capable of being launched by a standard 12-volt direct current firing system The launch vehicle shall require no external circuitry or special ground support equipment to initiate launch (other than what is provided by Range Services) The launch vehicle shall use a commercially available solid motor propulsion system using ammonium perchlorate composite propellant (APCP) which is approved and certified by the National Association of Rocketry (NAR), Tripoli Rocketry Association (TRA), and/or the Canadian Association of Rocketry (CAR). Proposed Feature to Satisfy Requirement The launch vehicle shall be a single stage. The launch vehicle will be designed with an efficient and quick to construct design that requires fewer than 4 hours to prepare. The launch vehicle design will ensure all components have a life of greater than 1 hour without loss of functionality. The ignition system will be using a 12 volt direct current firing system. There will be no external circuity for the ignition system because it will be a ground based ignition system being placed underneath the rocket before launch with 300 ft of cord between the igniter and the controller. The motor being used is a solid fuel motor from AeroTech. The motor is the L850W. 31 P a g e

38 Handbook Number Summarized Requirement Aerodynamics 1.12 Pressure vessels on the vehicle shall be approved by the RSO The total impulse provided by a Middle and/or High School launch vehicle shall not exceed 5,120 Newton-seconds (L-class) The launch vehicle shall have a minimum static stability margin of 2.0 at the point of rail exit The launch vehicle shall accelerate to a minimum velocity of 52 fps at rail exit All teams shall successfully launch and recover a subscale model of their rocket prior to CDR All teams shall successfully launch and recover their full-scale rocket prior to FRR in its final flight configuration Any structural protuberance on the rocket shall be located aft of the burnout center of gravity. Vehicle Prohibitions Proposed Feature to Satisfy Requirement No pressure vessels will be used. The motor will produce an impulse of 3695 N-s which is below the specified total impulse that is allowed. The launch vehicle will have a static stability margin of The rocket team will utilize OpenRocket, RockSim, CFD, & test flight data to achieve an accurate prediction of minimum velocity at rail exit. A subscale model with comparable weights, lengths, and masses will be launched prior to the CDR. The project schedule will ensure a full-scale rocket launch occurs before the FRR. The rocket will have 3 bolts holding the nosecone to the bow body tube and shear pins holding the coupler to the bow and aft body tubes. These structural protuberances are all located aft of the burnout center of gravity The launch vehicle will follow all prohibitions laid out in section 1.19 of the 2017 SL NASA Student Handbook. 32 P a g e

39 Table 8 - Recovery Requirements & Countermeasures Recovery Handbook Number Summarized Requirement 2.1 Vehicle must deploy a drogue parachute at apogee, followed by a main parachute at a much lower altitude. 2.2 A successful ground ejection test for both parachutes must be conducted prior to sub- and fullscale launches. 2.3 No part of the launch vehicle may have a kinetic energy of greater than 75 ft-lbf at landing. 2.4 Recovery electrical circuits must be independent of payload circuits. 2.5 Recovery system must include redundant, commercial altimeters. 2.6 Motor ejection cannot be used for primary or secondary deployment. 2.7 Each altimeter must be armed by a dedicated switch accessible from the rocket exterior. 2.8 Each altimeter must have a dedicated power supply. 2.9 Each arming switch must be lockable to the ON position Removable shear pins must be used to seal the parachute compartments Tracking device(s) must transmit the position of any parts of the launch vehicle to a ground receiver Recovery system electronics must not be adversely affected by any other on-board electronics. Proposed Feature to Satisfy Requirement Dual-deployment altimeters will be programmed to fire ejection charges at apogee and at ~1000 feet. Multiple ejection tests will be conducted prior to sub- and full-scale launches. Parachute sizes will be optimized to minimize kinetic energy at ground impact. Recovery electronics will be located in a separate, shielded coupler. Two PerfectFlite Stratologger CF altimeters will be used. Black powder ejection charges will be used to eject parachutes. Locking rotary switches and LED indicators will be used to confirm the state of the recovery electronics. Separate 9-Volt batteries will be used to power the altimeters. Locking rotary switches will be used to arm each altimeter. Threaded nylon shear pins will be used to seal the parachute compartments. All parts of the launch vehicle will be tethered together; position will be transmitted via a flight computer in the nosecone. Recovery electronics will be located in a separate, shielded coupler. 33 P a g e

40 Table 9 - Payload Requirements & Countermeasures Payload Handbook Number Summarized Requirement Design container capable of protecting an unknown object of unknown size and shape Object must survive duration of flight Once the object is obtained, it must be sealed in its housing until after the launch and no excess material may be added after receiving the object. Proposed Feature to Satisfy Requirement Concentric cylinders with spring system and support material Concentric cylinders with spring system and support material Support material within cylinder 1 that allows object to be inserted and not spill any material such as a high viscosity fluid or malleable solid. Project Deliverables All intermediate and final deliverables are listed in Table 10, along with due dates. These deliverables include all tangible prototypes/models, all activities such as participation in the educational engagement requirement, and all reports. Reports and presentations, such as the Preliminary Design Review, are listed as one combined deliverable in Table 10. Table 10 - Project Deliverables Number Description Due Date 1 A reusable rocket with the required payload system ready for official launch shall be provided. Apr. 5, A scale model of the rocket design with a payload prototype shall be flown before the CDR & flight data shall be brought to the CDR. Jan. 13, The team website must be maintained & updated throughout the period of performance P a g e

41 4 Reports, PDF slideshows, & Milestone Review Flysheets will be completed & posted to the team website by specified due dates (see - below). 5 Electronic copies of the Educational Engagement forms & any lessons learned will be submitted prior to FRR & within two weeks of the event. Mar. 6, Submitted Proposal Oct. 3, Participation in PDR (Preliminary Design Review) Oct. 31, Submitted Design Report Dec. 2, Participation in CDR (Critical Design Review) Jan. 13, Participation in FRR (Flight Readiness Review) Mar. 6, Participation in LRR (Launch Readiness Review) Apr. 6, Participation in PLAR (Post Launch Assessment Review) Apr. 24, 2017 Project Schedule Both NASA and the University of Evansville set numerous deadlines throughout the year. These deadlines include submission dates for reports and presentations. Other major dates such as the final competition and when scale models must be launched are also defined. The team classified these as Critical Dates. Each of the critical dates can be seen in Table 11. In addition to University of Evansville due dates and NASA due dates, Project Ace has included a Team Due Date column. These are the dates that the team holds themselves to in an effort to mitigate any risk of late submissions. The scale launch dates listed in Table 11 will likely prove to be the most important, as they are dependent on availability of the launch site. This site only has launches once a month, so it is crucial that the team is prepared when such dates come around. 35 P a g e

42 Table 11 - Critical Dates Due Date Activity NASA U.E. Team Project Kickoff Aug. 15, General Motor Selection/Data Sept. 30, Sept. 16, 2016 Informal Design Sketches - Sept. 21, 2016 Sept. 19, 2016 Proposal Sept. 30, 2016 Oct. 3, 2016 Sept. 27, 2016 Motor Selection/ Data Oct. 31, 2016 Oct. 7, 2016 Proposal Presentation - Oct. 24, 2016 Oct. 22, 2016 PDR Report Oct. 31, Oct. 26, 2016 PDR Flysheet Oct. 31, Oct. 26, 2016 PDR Presentation Oct. 31, Oct. 28, 2016 Sub-Scale Launch Motor Selection - - Nov. 30, 2016 Sub-Scale Launch - - Dec. 11, 2016 Design Report - Dec. 2, 2016 Nov. 29, 2016 Motor Mount Design/ FEA Jan. 13, Nov. 30, 2016 All Structural elements FEA Jan. 13, Nov. 30, 2016 CDR Report Jan. 13, Dec. 9, 2016 CDR Flysheet Jan. 13, Dec. 9, 2016 CDR Presentation Jan. 13, Jan. 11, 2017 Full Scale Launch - - Feb. 12, 2017 FRR Report Mar. 6, Mar. 1, 2017 FRR Flysheet Mar. 6, Mar. 1, 2017 FRR Presentation Mar. 6, Mar. 3, 2017 Competition Apr. 5, Apr. 5, 2017 LRR Report Apr. 6, Apr. 3, 2017 PLAR Report Apr. 24, Apr. 21, 2017 From the critical dates the team was able to create a Gantt chart shown in Figure 17. The Gantt chart helps visualize the schedule of the project and enabled the team to adjust the scope accordingly. It was known that deadlines could not be adjusted, so certain aspects of the project had to be adjusted to ensure overall completion. This, for example, included changing from a variable-drag to a projected altitude targeting system. An extensive list of team and individual tasks is displayed in Appendix C. 36 P a g e

43 Testing Build Design Reporting Project ACE Period: 4 Plan PLAN PLAN ACTIVITY T/M Responsible START DURATION WEEK (Week 1 ends September 4th, 2016) Proposal David 1 4 Preliminary Design Report David 6 4 PDR Presentation David 8 2 Interim Design Report David Critical Design Report David 11 5 CDR Presentation David 15 5 Flight Readiness Report David 23 4 FRR Presentation David 26 2 Project Final Report David Launch Readiness Review David 29 4 Post Launch Assesment David 33 2 Budget Creation David 1 1 Website Creation Bryan 1 3 Motor Type Selection Andrew G 1 3 Motor Mount Design Andrew G 1 5 Rocksim Model Andrew G 3 18 Body Component Selection Torsten 1 6 3D Rocket Model Torsten 4 11 CFD Model Torsten 15 6 Payload A Design Justin 1 9 Payload B Design Braden 1 11 Data Acquisition Design David 3 6 Data Transmission Design David 3 6 Design of Recovery System Andrew S 1 9 Design Tracking System Andrew S 9 4 Scale Model Design Torsten 10 3 Design Education Activity Bryan 1 8 Propulsion Construction Andrew G 10 6 Body Construction Torsten Payload A Construction Justin 9 14 Payload B Construction Braden Recovery System Construction Andrew S 9 12 Data Systems Construction David 8 13 Scale Model Construction Torsten 12 3 Scale Model Test Bryan 14 2 Motor Testing Bryan Parachute Testing Bryan 23 6 Wind Tunnel Testing Bryan 23 9 Recovery Testing Andrew S 21 7 Educational Engagement Bryan Preparation for Competition David 31 1 Competition David Figure 17 - Gantt Chart 37 P a g e

44 Project Budget Project ACE was able to create an accurate budget by requiring each sub-section lead to maintain a detailed component list. This list, located in Appendix, contains a description, quantity, and cost of each item on the rocket. Also included in the table are projected costs for the sub-scale rocket, educational engagement activities, travel, and administrative expenses. From the projected costs in the components list, a variable contingency percentage was implemented to each sub-section. These contingencies ensure that the team has funds for unforeseen costs. Contingency percentages are higher for risk filled sub-sections than for lowrisk sub-sections. For example, the aerodynamics sub-section has a 33% contingency for purchase of unforeseen components & risk of damage; while the recovery section has a 7% contingency due to the low chance of costly components being damaged. The official budget with these contingencies built in can be found in Table 12. A quick visual to the impact each sub-section has on the entire budget is provided in Figure 18. Table 12 - Budget Item Forecasted Amount Percent of Total Operating $ % Travel / Lodging $ 3, % Launch Pad $ % Aerodynamics (Body) $ 1, % Propulsion $ 1, % Main Payload $ % Electronic Payload $ % Recovery $ 1, % Scale Model $ 1, % Educational Engagement $ % Total $ 10, P a g e

45 3% 1% 11% 10% 36% 6% 4% 14% 13% 2% Operating Travel / Lodging Launch Pad Aerodynamics (Body) Propulsion Main Payload Electronic Payload Recovery Scale Model Educational Engagement Figure 18 - Budget Breakdown Funding Plan The $10,970 necessary to fund the University of Evansville Student Launch Project ACE team will be acquired through the three following University connections, Dr. David Unger (Indiana Space Grant Award), University of Evansville Student Government 39 P a g e