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Mark June 17-19, 2005 down on your calendars.  The North East Regional Rocket Festival will be the areas premier event of the year.  See the official NERRF website for more details.

SpaceShip-1 wins the X-Prize.  Congratulations to the scaled team!  10-4-04 the birth of a new space age.

Congratulations Burt Rutan and Scaled Composites for getting half way to the X-Prize and all the way into space! 

Due to a family emergency I can not attend LDRS, I hope that those of you going all have a great time.  The online album has the LDRS days all unlocked so please feel free to upload your pics of LDRS to share.

Combined CTRA - METRA launch calendar back online.  Click on Launch Calendar on the right hand navigation panel.

On-Line Album added!
Upload your favorite rocketry pictures and vote on them.  Special LDRS section ready and waiting for LDRS pictures

L3 project postponed.  Due to increased demands at work I am unable to complete my L3 project in time for LDRS.

S.S. Eclipse flies wireless video payload again.  Go to the Movie Roc page.

Completed Jeff Taylor's EX class.
If you are interested in EX stop by the LOKI site and see when he's offering it again, you will not be disappointed.

Joined Rocketry Top 50
Before you leave click on the TOP 50 link to vote for this site

Combined Launch Calendar Added!
All CTRA & METRA launches included
See link on right side of page

L3 project construction begins.
check the L3 page for updates

Salvatore Pais responds to my comments about his article in the Homeland Defense Journal.
See his email to me and my response on the HomePage.

Nor-East launch season begins
OK folks time to dust off the rockets, its flying time
Check CTRA-NARCONN and METRA sites for schedules.

Loki Research becomes a Tripoli Certified Motor manufacturer
while there are no certified motors yet, we can look forward to having more motor choices

 

  

L3 Page 5


 

Construction 3-14-04

The next step in construction is to fully slot the aft airframe to allow the fins to slide in.  The precut slots in the tube are slightly undersize for the fins to fit, also the slots do not go all the way through to the end.  I want to be able to "tack" the fins onto the motor tube then pull that assembly back out so as to be able to get good fillets  and fiberglass reinforcement onto the joints.  In order for the motor-tube to be aligned properly in the airframe the forward and middle centering rings need to be attached.  At first I was going to double up the forward ring, but decided this was not needed since the space between the motor-tube and airframe will eventually be filled with two-part foam.  I did however apply fiberglass reinforcement to the area where the u-bolts will anchor to the ring.

Slotting

Here is a view of the existing slot in the lower airframe.

Slot Cut

Here is the slot extended to the base of the tube and widened slightly to fit the fin.

Forward Centering Ring

Here's the forward centering ring, drilled for the 2 u-bolts. Although this is a thick 9ply ring, I will add three layers of 8oz fiberglass tape to reinforce the area.

First tape layer added

After brushing on some thin epoxy, the first piece of reinforcement is added.

Ready to "press" and cure.

Both sides now have 3 layers of glass on, so its now ready to have the wax paper folded over and a weight placed on top while it cures.

Once the fiberglass reinforcement has cured I will be able to finish attaching the rings to the motor-tube.  Then slide the assembly into the airframe to tack the fins on.

Home Up L3 Page 6
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