After many ground tests for determining the appropriate black powder charge to deploy the parachutes, the project has finally lifted off last weekend at Argonia, Kansas for its first test flight.
The 2 rockets stacked on top of each other, lifted off at 4pm. Approximately 2.7 seconds, the separation charge fired on the interstage coupler, releasing the 2nd stage of the rocket.
Unfortunately, the 2nd stage did not fire its motor due to the rocket exceeding its tilt limit. The 1st stage flew to 4000 feet, and the 2nd stage flew to 6400 feet with both stages reaching approximately Mach 0.8.
There were some damages to the rocket, but extremely minor. Due to the high sideways velocity at apogee, the 2nd stage's main chute slipped out of its release rubber band, ripped in half, and got deployed together with the drogue chute. It still inflated and landed without any structural damage. The 1st stage deployed it's drogue parachute, but its main parachute did not fully inflate and hit the ground much faster. One of the epoxy fillets on the fins cracked. It has been dremelled off and reapplied.
The next step is to fly the rocket using a much stiffer launch rail to ensure a straighter boost, and to use a smaller but stronger main parachute on the 2nd stage. The next launch will hopefully take place this weekend or on Memorial Day.
3Dexperience was crucial to the development and planning of the manufacturing.
