3328 Student Hybrid Rocket Launch Experiment

Abstract

A hybrid rocket with new engine that had developed by students themselves was launched at 13:55 (JST) on 13th March 2005 at the Taiki-cho launch site, Hokkaido and the experiment was mostly successful. The rocket is 2.1m long, 10.2cm in diameter and 7.1kg in weight. Including payload instruments were non-gunpowder separation mechanism, telemeter, 3-axial accelerometer, altimeter, timer, flight computer and movie camera. Recovery parachute opened at 400m high and rocket system was safely recovered after 56 seconds after the launch. The new fuel of the engine was composed by microcrystalline wax and nitrous oxide which is safely and has high combustion efficiency. The wind direction and velocity were able to measure above 365m high from the ground, and student-tracking team tracked the rocket during the flight. In this paper, we report a result for rocket launches and our experimental experiences of rocket making and the management.