#391
|
||||
|
||||
No new space-related work (defected/returned to the aviators for a while) but did do another stomp rocket session with the little-people. Ten this time, but had a summer intern along with the "real" teacher so between us we kept the horde moving forward.
Built the same simple rockets as last time (see above). Cut out the parts, color (popular activity), assemble with a little scotch tape, and head out to the launching pad. I used two dual lauchers (see page two on the launcher pdf above) so we launched four rockets at a time. That made sure everyone got to launch several times, and rotated them throught the launch queue quickly. One loader on each tube, range safety/launch controller to do the countdown, and a stomper. Rotate the jobs as they move up in line. After three or four launches for each we did "what if." Launched two identically built rockets of differing weights (little and big clay blobs under a nose cone). Which one will go further ... let's do the experiment and find out. Also did a low angle versus 45-degree angle launch - which one will go further? Finally, launched a short, stubby rocket and a long skinny one - which one will go further (answer: don't know. They both ended up in a big live oak about 150 feet down range - ah well, it's just paper). Ended the session as the day heated up so we didn't try for a moon landing (try and land your rocket in a 5-gallon bucket 40-50 feet downrange). And then home, for a nap .... Yogi |
#392
|
||||
|
||||
Building up inventory ...
So, another teacher workshop coming up 5 Nov out at the National Flight Academy at the National Museum of Naval Aviation. A little garage time to settle the various stomach acids and relieve the tension - teachers have the seminars in hand but getting out the registrations, arranging base access, facility setup (Flight Academy has that one, whew!), transport, breakfast & lunch, flightline access and aircraft displays, ... (amateurs study tactics, professionals do logistics).
More $10 straw rocket launchers, stomp rocket launchers, associated rockets (good therapy), and maybe something special for door prizes (have a couple Mars rovers sitting on the shelf - maybe take a cue from Paper Kosmonaut and Wee Vikes and do a diorama from Viking to Curiosity?). Cleared the shelves of all the prototype airplanes from the Thunderbirds/Blue Angels build at the last meeting with the teachers. Did up an Orbital Tarus II as a stomp rocket to make a set with the Falcon9 stomper. We'll see what else I end up with. Yogi |
#393
|
||||
|
||||
You're my hero, Yogi!
Sounds like a nice bit of prep work and some interesting projects to be enjoyed by the students...heck, the door prizes are worth the price of admission, from what I see! In the meantime, have you given much thought to designing a model of what appears to be the latest NASA launcher which was discussed a few days ago? Just wondering as you have designed some excellent models and thought this one would be right up your alley. Cheers! Jim |
#394
|
||||
|
||||
Jim, haven't spent much time looking at it. As noted in the thread on that launcher - the Direct models at Lower Hudson Valley are already most of the way there. Might take a swing at it if/when the design stabilizes and money appears ...
Yogi |
#395
|
|||
|
|||
I just got the Juno, Taurus, X-37 and fairing from ECard. Awesome models! Thanks for the work oh great one...
Scott |
Google Adsense |
#396
|
||||
|
||||
Still fiddlin'
Finished off the teacher workshop at the National Naval Aviation Museum in November and we're headed right back into planning for the next one at Hurlburt Field in February ...
Did work up the T-37 (see design threads) and now a teacher request through Jon at Lower Hudson Valley. Mars Science Lab Curiosity cruise stage. For those who have the Atlas V-500 series model from Ecardmodels, here's the bits for an MSL mission payload shroud. AtlasV-500series-MSLshroud.pdf The rover is in the downloads and Jules has one up at paper-replika as well. The skycrane I leave to those with more patience than I (it's a real bug/skeleton operation). For the cruise stage, Curiosity's is similar to the Pathfinder and Mars Rover spacecraft. A biconic aeroshell with a flat disk cruise stage (electronics, enroute thrusters, navigation, solar panels, etc.). Designing is straightforward with the usual frustrations finding enough pictures for the graphics. This one is pretty simple, with an added former disk to help support the band between the heat shield and upper aeroshell. To keep it simple the cruise stage disk is just two disks joined back to back with a simple edge band for the radiators. But, of course, detailing to follow ... Yogi |
#398
|
||||
|
||||
Fiddly-bits
Thanks P-K, always happy to contribute to one of you masterwork dioramas.
So, without getting too far into the weeds (like making spheres) there is some detailing that can be done on the cruise disk. The equipment boxes are straight forward constructions, but the fuel tanks are approximated by cylinders. At this scale, the thrusters are just little boxes suggesting the orientation of the six engines (no tiny cones - use toothpick tips if you must). And the whole thing: Including the internal bits (skycrane and rover) would require building those models very small and folding the rover (very origami). You'd also have to cut out the center of the former disk and figure out how to make the parts open. We'll see what Jon thinks ... Yogi |
#399
|
||||
|
||||
Very nice. That teacher should be very happy
|
#400
|
||||
|
||||
So, different topic ... anybody have a line on good graphics for/pictures of China's space station? Little info I have says it's like a Salyut.
Yogi |
Google Adsense |
|
|