Project

High-Power Rocketry

This page showcases my road through high-power rocketry certifications. This is the build process and flight of my Level 2 certification rocket, which was designed to be structural and consistent over multiple flights to ensure a safe and successful flight and recovery. In the future I plan to work my way up to Level 3 certification, and eventually launch a rocket into space.

Manufacturing Decorations Recovery and Testing

Launch day

Level 2 Successful Certification Launch

Flight of my successful Level 2 certification launch. Both burn and recovery went flawlessly in this attempt, and I got my certification.

Manufacturing

Build Process of the Rocket

Rocket parts — Some of the build parts.

Materials and tools — More tools and materials for the build.

Fin can — Epoxied fin can. It houses the motor and connects the fins.

Fin can angle 2 — Different angle of the fin can.

Fin can angle scale check — Weighing the epoxied fin can to update the OpenRocket simulation.

Outer fillets front — Epoxying the outer fillets of the body tube.

Outer fillets back — This connection ensures thrust transfer to the airframe.

Lower bodytube scale check — Weighing the assembled lower section to update the simulation.

Rocket before layups — Preparing the fins and body tube for fiberglass layups.

Rocket after layups — The rocket after the fiberglass and peel ply were applied.

Layups after sanding — Sanded and cleaned up layups.

Large air bubble — Large air bubble found in the layup. This was later filled.

Small imperfection — Small imperfection found after the layup.

Assembled rocket — Completed and assembled rocket ready for painting.

Decorations

Painting and Decals

Coloring the fins — Coloring the fins of the rocket.

Spray painting the body tube — Spray painting the body tube of the rocket.

Painting the nose cone — Painting the nose cone of the rocket.

Rocket and recovery equipment prepared at the launch field — Fins and body drying.

Fully painted rocket — Fully painted rocket.

Body tube decals — Adding decals to the body tube.

Fully decorated rocket — Fully decorated rocket.

Rocket on launch pad — Rocket on the launch pad ready to fly.

LAUNCH PREP

Recovery and Testing

Black powder testing for recovery deployment.

Sewn shock cord protector — Sewing a shock cord protector from a heat retardant blanket.

Rocket preparation on launch day — Preparing the avionics on launch day.

Vehicle check station — Going through safety checks.

Rocket recovered with the parachutes deployed.

Rocket recovered in a field after landing — Parachute, body tube, and nose cone after flight.

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