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From a simplistic standpoint, the only difference between the Space Shuttle solid rocket boosters and an Estes rocket was the size. In reality, a solid rocket

From a simplistic standpoint, the only difference between the Space Shuttle solid rocket boosters and an Estes rocket was the size. In reality, a solid rocket motor at this scale is very difficult to manufacture reliably, and with the thrust profile that will provide the performance that you need to reach your goals. That's not to mention the avionics in this rocket, the materials (carbon fiber laid down by the students), the deployment systems for the nose cone, and the manufacturing of the nozzle engineered to provide adequate thrust through the entire range of atmospheric pressures.

mdorazio 7y ago
To be fair, though, all of these are solved problems that are easily overcome with budget and outsourcing. Ex. you can buy quality carbon fiber tubes in whatever diameter and thickness you want from multiple suppliers, contract out the nozzle based on existing designs to a CNC milling or titanium SLS printing company, purchase aerospace-rated avionics packages, etc. The impressive part here is that the students seem to be doing a good chunk of these things mostly in-house and with less money than it would normally take.
- lutorm 7y ago
  Sure you can contract out the work, but paying for someone else to make a rocket you launch doesn't really qualify you to say that you did anything. It also doesn't teach you anything, so what's the point? Most of what you work on in college is solved problems, because college is about learning and not about original research.
dvh 7y ago
Space shuttle is rocket with wings and additional 2 million parts.
bunderbunder 7y ago
At a very high level, yeah, most every rocket is just a tube that's pointy on one and and goes fwoom at the other. But this seems like it might be more similar to an Estes rocket than just that. The space shuttle's solid rocket boosters don't deploy the parachute by ejecting the whole nose cone, which is attached by a shock cord, and letting it drag the parachute out of the rocket's body. That's really what I was reacting to. That, not only did they get to space, but they apparently got to space using a much more rough-and-ready design than I would have expected. The hacker in me loves that.

mdorazio 7y ago

To be fair, though, all of these are solved problems that are easily overcome with budget and outsourcing. Ex. you can buy quality carbon fiber tubes in whatever diameter and thickness you want from multiple suppliers, contract out the nozzle based on existing designs to a CNC milling or titanium SLS printing company, purchase aerospace-rated avionics packages, etc. The impressive part here is that the students seem to be doing a good chunk of these things mostly in-house and with less money than it would normally take.

lutorm 7y ago
Sure you can contract out the work, but paying for someone else to make a rocket you launch doesn't really qualify you to say that you did anything. It also doesn't teach you anything, so what's the point? Most of what you work on in college is solved problems, because college is about learning and not about original research.

dvh 7y ago

Space shuttle is rocket with wings and additional 2 million parts.

bunderbunder 7y ago

At a very high level, yeah, most every rocket is just a tube that's pointy on one and and goes fwoom at the other. But this seems like it might be more similar to an Estes rocket than just that. The space shuttle's solid rocket boosters don't deploy the parachute by ejecting the whole nose cone, which is attached by a shock cord, and letting it drag the parachute out of the rocket's body. That's really what I was reacting to. That, not only did they get to space, but they apparently got to space using a much more rough-and-ready design than I would have expected. The hacker in me loves that.