Blog #9 | End of Semester Design Review

This past semester has really been a blast, and to wrap it up we had each engineering group present their progress so far and discuss future plans for the team.

The team design review started even before this meeting throughout the week as each individual engineering team reviewed and compiled all of their work from the past semester, with each team creating presentations and packets for everyone to follow along with. The meeting was very productive and we even went past the time we had originally planned due to so many ideas and discussions popping up!

Beginning with Propulsion, they discussed the redesign of our hybrid engine now called Runaway v2 including different geometries, fixtures, and materials to be added. Many of these changes were made as optimizations on the first version, for example we chose to add Silicon Dioxide inserts in the combustion chamber’s recirculation zones for extra thermal protection. There were also many other changes such as a more slanted impinging plate and the overall geometries of the chamber. Over winter break, the Propulsion team plans to continue working on getting Runaway v2 machined and assembled in addition to completing a successful hotfire on our v1 engine.

Next for Frame, there were many improvements in the amount of detail for each rocket section. Previously, much of the frame pieces had simply been placeholders, but now we have laid out each of our goals and split them into smaller achievable pieces. The internal rocket structure is nearly finalized, with the chosen design being 4 carbon fiber tubes connecting sections of the rocket together using centering rings on each end of each section. We are also looking for sponsors to assist in the construction of 3-4 foot fiberglass tubes to use as our external frame. For our nosecone, we have chosen to use a Von Karman curve molded around a 3D printed piece as it is the most optimized fit for the velocity we will be traveling at. The nosecone itself would be fiberglass, and the tip would be made from aluminum for ease of manufacturing and for its thermal properties. By the end of winter break, the frame team plans to have completed the assembly of the nitrous tank support structure and be in the process of manufacturing many other components.

In Avionics, much work is being done on the communication between the rocket and the command center as well as each control system within the rocket such as flow regulation. Currently we are constructing our command center out of a briefcase using a Rasberry Pi and monitor to control our rocket tests and launches. We are also working on the priming system for ensuring that our rocket is not able to fire prematurely which is very important for the safety of our members. Many avionics components are on their way, so the team plans to work on continuing all of their projects with new supplies over break.

And finally for Operations, we are currently planning the creation of a launch bunker at our test field to increase the safety for our team members and also to allow for spectators to join in watching our tests as many have requested to do so. We are looking for building supplies and potentially a civil engineer to assist with the design of a bunker.

Thank you so much for reading this! It’s been a very exciting year for all of us and we’re so excited to share all of our activities when we return in January. Happy Holidays!