[SGVLUG] [OT] Rockets

[Emerson, Tom (*IC)]

> -----Original Message----- Of Thomas G Moore
> 
> Having never been there, are more detailed directions
> required than just Plaster City?

>From the "plaster blaster" website
[http://www.plasterblaster.com/launch_site.html], it looks like it's
about 80 miles EAST of San Diego -- for most of us here, "that's a bit
south of us..." ;)

Google link to a map of the area: 
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=plaster+city&ie=UTF8&ll
=32.791892,-115.856323&spn=3.038298,4.943848&z=8&iwloc=addr&om=1

(which, if you decode the URL, you'll see has GPS coordinates -- go
about mid-way on the zoom-slider to see both our area and the launch
site area in the same frame)

Per the routing function of google maps, the drive should be between
3-1/2 to 5 hours -- launching typically begins around 8:00 am for events
like these, so we're talking about leaving here around 4am (earlier if
you want breakfast somewhere along the way...)  it's 200+ miles one way,
so I know I'll be going through a tank of gas that day -- anyone want to
carpool? [I'll have to leave the launch by 4pm at the latest as I'll
also be doing something in Simi Valley that night -- hey, it's the 21st
century, where are our star-trek transporters when you /really/ need
them?]

And to answer Claude's questions in the same off-topic message:  The
rocket will be powered by four "M" motors (*), one in each afterburner.
The rocket will take off in "attack" mode (wings in an "X"), then
transition to cruise/landing mode (wings flat) in fligth.  Two man-rated
parachutes will be used to return the rocket safely.  (yeah, gliding in
would be cool, but I don't know anyone gutsy enough to try and fly it
via radio-control...)

Tom

(*) Motor designations: model rocket engines are rated in
NEWTON-SECONDS, which are broken down into ranges for easy reference.
Each range is designated by a letter (A, B, C, etc.) in which each
successive range is double the previous range.  The "A" range is 1.26 to
2.5 NS (therefore, "B" is 2.51 to 5, C is 5.01 to 10.0, etc.)  4 "M"'s
is in the same power range as 2 "N"'s, which is then the same as a
single "O" motor [the legal limit for California]  The next part of a
motor designation is the AVERAGE THRUST per second.  [divide the total
by the average to get the actual burn-time in seconds]

It is rumored that the motors for this will be M1600 "Redline" motors
[so named due to their characteristic red flame] which have a total
thrust of 7085NS and burn for approx. 4 seconds.  (generating 400 pounds
of thrust, BTW)