CWU Student Rocket Launch

Ethan Stapleton

Figure 1

Figure 2

Introduction

The CWU Student Rocket Launch is a competition put on by NASA for schools across the United States. Each school designs and builds a rocket with certain requirements. The rocket is supposed to deliver a payload between 4,000 and 6,000 feet up. The payload consists of a camera which can swivel 360 degrees as well as autonomously receive commands to take photos.

Download to engineering report below

Original Design

This design has the nose move upward through a plunger system (basically pushes it up). The camera then gets pushed outside the rocket and is attached by the pole still.

Alternate Design 1

This design moves the camera outside the rocket via a lever which will be released from a hook once the nose moves upward, then letting the camera fall 90 degrees laying just outside the rocket. This allows for swivel of the camera or rotation around the center of the rocket.

Alternate Design 2

This design has the nose dropped to the side of the rocket attached at one point. This allows the camera to not move and stay centered in the rocket. The nose is connected to a cable which will pull the nose to the side.

Final Presentation

Results

These are the results (in table format) of the two main tests for the mount. The left table says how the mount survived the first test launch of the rocket. The second table shows the process of testing the rotational capability of the mount.

The final result of the launch in Huntsville, Alabama was unsuccessful. The battery died on the launch pad resulting in the linear actuator being unable to open the nose cone. The mount was also caught on wires left being unable to fully rotate. Although the testing results are accurate, they are not representative of the final launch as the tests were successful unlike the launch. Testing was very relevant to the project, however, more testing probably could have resulted in a more successful project.