Mini MWP 2015

May 2015

/ Princeton, IL

2 flights, 4345 N-sec burned

Mini MWP is always a great time, plus free steak. Jason had an L850W for me so I rushed to finish fixing my 4" Darkstar in time and mailed it back with a week to spare. I also flew a box with my Punisher in it (free checked baggage FTW). We also flew Jason's Punisher on a K1440 to prove to the ROC crowd that it'd work ;) Great to see the crew again, and for once I didn't wake up too hungover!

Flight 1: Punisher 3, CTI J145

For the first flight of the Punisher, I chose a very marginally-stable motor: the J145SK. After taping it in from the front of the rocket (and getting all kinds of looks from Tim for it), I waited in line for the pad. I love that MMWP, despite being a "regional" launch or something, has like three high power pads set up -- and there's still basically no wait! I loaded up next to Mike Walsh and his awesome WAC Corporal, and got to go first. The Punisher roared off the pad nice and straight on the Skidmark and weathercocked across 1850E. Apogee deployment was drogueless and the main appeared a short while later. Richard Cash helped me fetch it for old time's sake :) Thanks to Justin for the prep table and Jason for the BP!
Punisher 3 on a CTI J145

Flight 2: Dark Energy, AT L850

I reused the nose cone tip, so it's officially a rebuild, right? Since the last time this rocket flew, the record label folded, so I'm not sure what to do about that. I added a tailcone and chopped the length on the rebuild to make it look more to my liking. For a shakedown, Jason offered me an L850W at a good price. Justin Farrand provided a table for me to work on, and also shot a great video of the flight (thanks dude!). The up part was nice and smooth with drogue deployment clearly visible; main deployment was on time too, one field up and one field over (right next to where Eric's L2 landed last year). I picked it up and schlepped it out of the field with no damage. Yea!
Dark Energy on an AT L850

others: ignition | mains

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