University of Mississippi Rocket Rebels. Project Presidium NASA Student Launch Initiative Proposal September 30, 2016

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1 University of Mississippi Rocket Rebels Project Presidium NASA Student Launch Initiative Proposal September 30, 2016 Center for Manufacturing Excellence 1784 University Circle University, MS

2 Table of Contents Figures and Tables General Requirements Faculty Advisor/Adult Educators Safety Officer Student Team Leader Team Participants Team Hierarchy NAR Section Facilities/Equipment Description of Facilities and Equipment Computer Equipment and Software Safety Safety Plan NAR/TRA Procedures Hazard Recognition and Accident Avoidance Caution Statements Compliance Plan Energetic Transport and Storage Technical Design General Vehicle Dimensions, Materials, and Construction Construction Recovery System Requirements System Design Parachutes Pre-Flight Testing Propulsion System Requirements Payload System Analysis of Anticipated Forces Payload System Design Requirements Major Technical Challenges and Solutions UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI USLI PROPOSAL 2

3 5 Education Engagement Project Plan Project Timeline Budget Funding Plan Sustainability Appendix Appendix A: Range Safety Regulation Form Appendix B: Risks and Mitigations Appendix C: NAR High Power Rocket Safety Code Figures and Tables Table 1: Team Members and Responsibilities... 4 Figure 1: Team Hierarchy... 5 Table 2: Personal Safety... 7 Table 3: General Vehicle Parameters Figure 2: 2-D Side View of Proposed Rocket Design Figure 3: Sample OpenRocket Simulation of Proposed Design Configuration Table 4: L800 Motor Specifications Figure 4: L800 Thrust Curve Figure 5: Payload Design Drawing Figure 6: Managerial Gantt Chart Figure 7: Technical Gantt Chart Table 5: Task Table Table 6: Budget Plan General Requirements 1.1 Faculty Advisor/Adult Educators Dr. Jack McClurg Cody Hardin Phone: (662) Phone: (662) jmmclurg@olemiss.edu cody.hardin@orbitalatk.com 1.2 Safety Officer Will Thomas UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI USLI PROPOSAL 3

4 Safety Officer 1.3 Student Team Leader Dillon Hall Project Manager & Chief Engineer Phone: (662) Team Participants The members and their proposed duties are as follows: Dillon H. Blake H. Will T. Madeline S. Olivia L. Barrett F. Ryoma T. Branden L. Peter D. Caroline R. DJ J. David T. Gabe P. Mac K. Kyle P. Matt W. Garrett R. David B. Student Member Table 1: Team Members and Responsibilities Roles & Responsibilities Chief Engineer/Project Manager Structures Propulsion/Safety Officer Propulsion/Outreach Manager Structures Propulsion/Outreach Payload Payload Structures Recovery/Outreach Propulsion Recovery Structures Avionics Outreach/Payload Payload Avionics Propulsion UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI USLI PROPOSAL 4

5 1.4.1 Team Hierarchy Madeline S. Outreach Manager Dillon H. Chief Engineer Will T. Safety Officer David B. Blake H. Branden L. Mac K. David T. Propulsion Lead Structures Lead Payload Lead Avionics Lead Recovery Lead DJ J. Will T. Olivia L. Ryoma T. Madeline S. Barrett F. Peter D. Gabe P. Kyle P. Matt W. Garrett R. Caroline R. David B. Propulsion Team Structures Team Payload Team Avionics Team Recovery Team 1.5 NAR Section Figure 1: Team Hierarchy The Ole Miss Rocket Rebels will coordinate with the Mid-South Rocket Society (MSRS) NAR chapter #550. When applicable, the team will collaborate with Huntsville Area Rocket Association NAR chapter #403 or Music City Missile Club NAR chapter # Facilities/Equipment 2.1 Description of Facilities and Equipment The primary facility for the rocket design construction is the Center for Manufacturing Excellence, a 47,000 square foot space that is divided over three floors, located at the heart of the University of Mississippi campus. The second and third floor contain over 100 computers exclusively for student use and are accessible 24/7. Every machine includes Intel Core i7 quad core processors, Nvidia Quadro professional graphics cards, 26 LCD monitors, and High Air Flow full towers to keep the components cool. These computers offer the team top notch programs like the full 2013 Microsoft Office suite, as well as Autodesk, PTC Creo, Wolfram Mathematica, and MATLAB. In addition to some of these programs, the team will be using OpenRocket for modeling the rocket and running computer simulations. Also, the team has access to open classrooms in the building for team meetings, discussion, and planning. Weekly team meetings are held on the 3rd floor of the CME on Tuesdays at 6pm and Thursdays at 4pm, or as necessary. The most notable feature of the CME is the 12,000 square foot factory floor located on the ground level. The floor contains over sixty industrial machines that can range from low-tech hand tools to cutting-edge heavy machinery. The Rocket Rebels will be heavily utilizing the plastics and polymers room that includes a freezer for pre-preg carbon fiber storage, an autoclave for curing, and state of the art 3D printing machines. Advanced CNC equipment like the Toyoda Auto Milling machine will help the team precisely machine the parts as needed. In addition to workspace, the factory floor will provide the team with storage space for the rocket body, engine, parachutes and shock cord, electronics, tools, paint, and UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI USLI PROPOSAL 5

6 more. The floor is accessible on weekdays from 8am to 4pm. All components of the rocket will be stored in a designated area on the factory floor as well. This includes the engine, parachutes, parachute cords, electronics, and charges. Most of these materials are either bought off the shelf locally or ordered online. Other materials, like the carbon fiber prepregs material and high strength adhesive, is donated from local companies like General Electric and Orbital ATK. The technicians who work on the floor are highly skilled and experienced when it comes to all aspects of creating parts and will provide their input and knowledge anytime that the team may need it. The Rocket Rebel s team mentor, Cody Hardin, can also be consulted on any aspect of constructing the rocket. The General Electric facility in Batesville, MS has agreed to allow the team to schedule curing times with the autoclave that is housed there for curing of composite rocket components as needed. Orbital ATK of Iuka, MS has also donated materials and high-strength adhesive to the team to use when needed. Rocket Rebels will be using a flat, open field owned by a relative of faculty advisor Jack McClurg in Oxford, MS for mid-power rocket launches. The team also has the option to launch these rockets at FNC Park in Oxford, MS. For the sub scale and full scale testing, the team will be going to the launch field hosted by the Mid-South Rocket Society in Memphis, TN. Alternatively, the team can travel to Phoenix Missile Works (Tripoli #81) launches in Talladega, AL depending on MSRS launch schedule. 2.2 Computer Equipment and Software The Rocket Rebels will be using Slack as well as student Gmail accounts in order to effectively communicate throughout the project. One of the most important programs Rocket Rebels will be using is Slack. Slack is a cloud-based team collaboration tool that can be run on smartphone or computer. It offers members the opportunity to contact the entire team, sub-teams, or individuals and easily share reports, files, and ideas. Slack has been essential to scientific teams across the world, including NASA s own Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Moreover, Gmail will be used primarily for emphasizing important general announcements, such as meeting times, and deadlines. All team members have access to multiple computer labs around campus in the engineering building, Carrier Hall, and the CME building on top of the personal computers that most team members own. Both computer options will have free WIFI access and all required software. The Rebel Rockets will be using Microsoft Office and Microsoft OneDrive in order to efficiently construct reports as a team, as well as graphically display data in a variety of ways. The team will also be using Creo Parametric 3.0, which is a 3-D CAD modeling software which allows the team to create detailed models of every part they intend to build as well as translate those CAD designs into CAM files which can be read by the machines on the CME factory floor, thus allowing the team to manufacture the rocket design. The flight simulation and design of the rocket will be done by OpenRocket which is a free model-rocket simulator that allows users to design and simulate their own rockets before actually building and flying them. OpenRocket s main features include six-degree-of-freedom flight simulation, real-time simulated altitude, velocity and acceleration display simulation, automatic design optimization, and staging and clustering support. 3 Safety 3.1 Safety Plan Due to the hazards that come with building rockets, the Rocket Rebels will be safety conscious at all times. Key areas of safety that will be addressed including the handling of materials and machining of parts. When handling material, the team shall be informed of all due precautions that should be followed. This includes but is not limited to possible allergens, volatile components (such as the rocket motor and UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI USLI PROPOSAL 6

7 propellant) and machining processes that leave the material with sharp or splintered edges. In addition to material safety briefings before any project is undertaken, the team will be supervised by shop technicians and or instructors during all operations. This helps to mitigate the risks inherent to operating machinery. The team is also familiar with the following Safety Agreement implemented by the CME. These precautions alongside relevant, project-specific safety briefings will help to ensure that personal injury risk is effectively reduced. CME Factory Floor Safety Agreement Only authorized students may use the shop during business hours, M-F 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, unless accompanied by a faculty of staff member. The shop door must remain unlocked while the shop is in use. No one may use the shop alone. Safety glasses, goggles or shields must be worn while working on the shop floor. Get first aid immediately and report it to the supervisor. Be sure that all machines have effective and properly working guards. Replace guards immediately after any repairs, setups or adjustments. Do not attempt to oil, clean, adjust or repair any machine while it is running. Do not leave a machine unattended while it is running. Do not stop a machine with your hands or body. Always see that work and cutting tools are securely clamped down before starting work. Keep the floor clean of metal chips and waste pieces. Get help when handling long or heavy objects. Only one person should operate the machine. Do not lean on machines. Never operate a machine while impaired or distracted. Always concentrate on the work being done and the machine that it is being done on. Do not distract machine operators. Make sure the work area is well lit before beginning work. Use of cellphones on the shop floor is strictly prohibited. Shirts should either be short sleeve or long sleeve rolled above the elbow. Pants are required on the shop floor. No shorts or cutoffs. Shoes must be closed toe and preferably made out of leather. Gloves should be worn when working with hot, rough or sharp material. Gloves should be removed before turning a machine off or on. Ties, rings, watches and other jewelry that can be caught in moving parts is prohibited. Long hair must be kept up at all times. Table 2: Personal Safety Personal Safety Potential Risk Potential Risk Outcome Risk Prevention Machine related injuries Lacerations, abrasion, puncture wounds, burns, dismemberment, blindness, hearing damage, death. All Shop procedures will be followed and machines will be double checked for safety before beginning machining UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI USLI PROPOSAL 7

8 Material related injuries/ complications Injury from deployment testing Skin respiratory and eye irritation or damage, blindness, exposure to allergens, exposure to hazardous fumes, chemical burns, exposure to carcinogens, Burns, scrapes, or other related injury Appropriate safety devices will be worn at all times. When performing fume creating operations, adequate ventilation will be used. Static testing shall be performed on a shielded and secure frame. 3.2 NAR/TRA Procedures The University of Mississippi Rocket Rebels team members have each read and agreed to adhere to the rules and regulations set by the High Power Rocket Safety Code (HPSC) under the regulation of NAR standards. In addition, members will also adhere to the rules set in the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1127: - Code for High Powered Rocket Motors. Each member will also have a general knowledge of the Federal Aviation Regulations 14 CFR, Subchapter F, Subpart C Amateur Rockets. All Rocket Rebel members will follow environmental laws and regulations. 3.3 Hazard Recognition and Accident Avoidance All team members will be briefed on the following principles prior to every launch: All flammable material, such as dry grass or hay, shall be cleared in a radius of at least 25 feet surrounding the launch pad. The launching equipment shall be located at least 100 feet from the launch stand, but as a team safety protocol, the team shall place the launch equipment at least 200 feet from the stand. Only the necessary people shall be allowed at the launch stand when the rocket is being placed on the rail. The Safety Officer shall connect the launching system to the power supply once everyone is a safe distance from the launch pad. A safety briefing shall be provided for any spectators as well as being instructed to stand further behind the team as a precaution. A countdown from 10 seconds shall be used by the launch controller and active the launching button when zero is reached. All team members shall be briefed on basic range safety before the first launch day. The area in which the launch stand is set up shall be where there is the least amount of environmental impact. The removal of all hazardous materials, such as epoxy or black powder, brought onto the field must be removed. When leaving the field, all trash, especially plastic wrapping, shall be removed. Proper disposal of the motor shall be done. Recovery of all rockets is required. If lost, contact will be made with the land owner to help locate the rocket. All equipment shall be accounted for prior to leaving the launch field. Preventing accidents is a main concern, therefore prevention is extremely important. A compiled list of failure and risk mitigations is available in Appendix B. Environmental considerations and mitigation steps shall be taken to brief all members before the first launch day. UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI USLI PROPOSAL 8

9 3.4 Caution Statements It is necessary that caution statements in plans, procedures, and other working documents be clear and easily seen by readers. These caution statements can be emboldened, underlined, and/or boxed to ensure that readers pay attention to those statements. Cautions and warnings can also be written in subsections of whatever procedure or document that they pertain to. When writing procedures, a list of all required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) shall be included in a clear concise manner. The list of PPE shall also contain a rationale to describe why a PPE is being used in a certain procedure. All team members shall be briefed on when and how to use PPE. 3.5 Compliance Plan The Rocket Rebels understand and comply with all federal, state, and local laws regarding unmanned rocket launches and motor handling. All team members will be briefed on all possible safety hazards and risks prior to every build session and rocket launch. The range safety officer will conduct a meeting prior to every launch attempt covering topics including but not limited to predicate risks, anticipated weather conditions, launch clearance perimeters, mishap procedures, and any changes to the launch waiver. The Range Safety Regulation Form, located in Appendix A, states that the team understands and fully complies with the following regulations relating to amateur rocketry and the handling of motors and explosives: Federal Aviation Regulations 14 CFR, Subchapter F, Part 101, Subpart C, Amateur Rockets NAR High Powered Rocketry Safety Code Code of Federal Regulation 27 Part 55: Commerce in Explosives; NFPA 1127 Code for High Power Rocket Motors All team members will also be briefed on and are required to fully understand and comply with federal laws and regulations concerning the commerce of explosives. Each member involved in the purchasing of rocket motors and/or black powder is required to read and comply with Code of Federal Regulation 27 Part 55 Commerce in Explosives. These regulations and procedures will be enforced by the safety officer. 3.6 Energetic Transport and Storage Cody Hardin, the team s NAR mentor, will be the one who will purchase the rocket motors for the team and will be the main supervisor, along with the team safety officer, concerning the transport and storage of the motor, propellant, or any other dangerous components of the rocket. All explosive material will be stored in an appropriate storage container and will be kept shelved and locked in the CME factory floor. The faculty advisor, Jack McClurg, will have the key to this container. Upon transporting the dangerous materials, the safety officer, team mentor, and Chief Engineer will inspect the components. A fire extinguisher will be available throughout transport which will be designated for fire related incidents that might occur during transport. 4 Technical Design As a new team, Rocket Rebels is faced with a lot of design choices to make in every respect of the rocket the team plans to build. Through the help of the team mentor, Cody Hardin, who has recently received his NAR Level 3 rocketry certification, the team plans to be the trailblazers for a new type of research at the University of Mississippi. Rocket Rebels plans to implement manufacturing techniques taught through the CME program and implemented in the aerospace composites industry to efficiently create professional aerospace quality products for the project. While some parts of the design will need to be obtained UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI USLI PROPOSAL 9

10 commercially, Rocket Rebels plans to utilize modern manufacturing processes like additive manufacturing and composites manufacturing as much as possible to show the capabilities of the CME facility and student group. 4.1 General Vehicle Dimensions, Materials, and Construction The general dimensions and proposed materials for the rocket design were chosen and modeled through the OpenRocket software package. These parameters were then tested through the flight simulation program available through OpenRocket. The projected vehicle dimensions for the proposed vehicle can be seen in the following table: Structures Table 3: General Vehicle Parameters Vehicle Specifications Recovery Hardware Total Length 100 in Parachute type hemispherical, extended skirt, annular, cruciform Diameter (Outer) 5 in Drogue chute size 30 in Dry weight 31.5 lbs (504 oz) Main chute size 120 in Wet weight lbs (567 oz) Material 0-3 cfm Body tube material Type Material Fin Configurations Carbon fiber Trapezoidal (Clipped Delta) Carbon Fiber Propulsion 1.12 Rip stop nylon Motor diameter 75 mm (2.95 in) Root chord 10 in Motor Name Cesaroni 3757L800-P Tip chord 3 in Motor impulse 3757 N-s ( lb-s) Sweep length 4 in Average Thrust 804 N (180.9 lb) Fin height 6 in Burn time 4.67 s The flight simulations performed on OpenRocket showed that the rocket s projected altitude under ideal launch conditions is 5,516 ft, which is well over the 5,280 ft target. However, initial design has taken into account the possibility of changes made to material, dimensions, or configuration that will inevitably vary altitude projections. The stability margin is 2.45 and the rail exit velocity is 60.4 m/s, well above the required minimum limits. The 2-D side view of the proposed rocket design and its resulting simulation is shown below. The proposed rocket design is optimized to fulfill the requirement of launching as close to a mile apogee as possible, all while minimizing the stress incurred on the payload. This was done by using a motor that delivered sufficient impulse, yet had a longer burn time. This will decrease the average force exerted on the fragile material protection system while still fulfilling the launch safety requirements administered. UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI USLI PROPOSAL 10

11 The current configuration of the rocket, going down from the nose cone, consists of a payload bay, main parachute bay, avionics bay, drogue chute bay, and booster bay. The bulkhead provides the aft drogue shock cord attachment point. Figure 2: 2-D Side View of Proposed Rocket Design Construction Figure 3: Sample OpenRocket Simulation of Proposed Design Configuration The team plans to utilize many state-of-the-art manufacturing processes to construct the rocket design. These include but are not limited to the following: CNC machining for precision cutting of couplers, body tube layups, and fin construction Composite hand layup and autoclave cure of prepregs composite fiber body tubes and fin stock 3-D printing nose cones and fittings Utilizing aerospace grade secondary bonding techniques to facilitate vehicle assembly These along with other typical hand tool assembly operations will be necessary to create the rocket model. UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI USLI PROPOSAL 11

12 4.2 Recovery System Requirements The purpose of the recovery system is to ensure the rocket has a controlled stabilized descent once it has reached apogee. A free descent with no recovery system would ensure destruction of the rocket, not to mention the fragile payload. Instead, the recovery system involves a series of two parachute deployments. First is a drogue parachute that deploys right after apogee and controls a rapid descent of the rocket, ensuring minimum drift from the launch location. Then a main parachute is deployed at a predetermined altitude above ground level and is responsible for slowing the rocket to a safe landing velocity while minimizing drift and ensuring no damage to the rocket or the fragile payload. Each parachute deployment will be controlled by onboard altimeters which will deploy the parachutes at desired altitudes via black powder charges System Design The rocket will house two parachutes, a drogue parachute located between the booster and the avionics bay and a main parachute located between the avionics bay and the payload. Both parachutes will be controlled by an altimeter that will prompt both parachute deployments at programmed altitudes. The drogue parachute will deploy at an apogee of approximately 5,516 ft above ground level (AGL) and will control the rocket s descent speed to about 83 ft/s for the majority of its decent. At about 800 ft AGL, the onboard avionics will trigger a pyrotechnic charge to deploy the main parachute which will further decrease the rocket s descent speed to about 20 ft/s. The avionics configuration that will deploy the parachute system includes a combination of the StratoLoggerCF altimeter and Missileworks RRC3 Xtreme altimeter. The StratoLoggerCF will be the primary altimeter. It is a chip the size of two postage stamps and collects flight data (altitude, temperature, and battery voltage) at a rate of 20 samples per second throughout the flight. This data is then stored for later download to a flight computer. Similarly, the RRC3 Xtreme altimeter is a barometric dual-deploy altimeter, which will serve as the backup altimeter in the unlikely case that the primary altimeter should fail Parachutes The parachutes that will make up a part of the recovery system will be from a joint venture project created with a startup parachute recovery system company owned by Mr. Benjamin Graybeal. The general specifications of these parachutes are hemispherical, extended skirt, annular, and cruciform. Materials used will be 0-3 cfm, 1.12oz rip-stop nylon for the canopy, type 3 nylon tape for reinforcement, Dyneema for suspension lines, tubular nylon for risers, and size E nylon thread. Based on the mass analysis performed by the team, the vehicle will use an approximately 30-inch drogue parachute and 120-inch main parachute. These parameters should not allow descent velocities greater than 100 ft/s and 25 ft/s respectively Pre-Flight Testing Upon construction of the subscale and full scale rocket designs, pre-flight tests of the deployment phases of the rocket will be performed to assure that the parachutes will deploy as expected. These tests will confirm that the body tubes and couplers are secured with the appropriate tightness and that the ejection charges exert enough force to fully separate the body tube sections from the couplers so that the parachutes can properly deploy. Both of these variables can be modified accordingly if tests indicate that alterations are required. UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI USLI PROPOSAL 12

13 4.3 Propulsion System The propulsion system will be utilizing a commercial Cesaroni Technology motor in the L impulse range. The L800 motor specifications and thrust curve are listed below in Table 4 and Figure 4: Table 4: L800 Motor Specifications Brand name Pro L800-P Manufacturer Cesaroni Technology Man. Designation 3757L800-P CAR Designation 3757 L800-P-U Single- Use/Reload/Hybrid Reloadable Motor Dimensions mm x mm (2.95 x in) Loaded Weight g ( oz) Total Impulse Ns ( lb-s) Propellant Weight g (62.83 oz) Maximum Thrust N ( lb) Burnout Weight g (57.33 oz) Avg Thrust N ( lb) ISP s Burn time 4.67 s Figure 4: L800 Thrust Curve UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI USLI PROPOSAL 13

14 4.3.1 Requirements The propulsion sub-team s ultimate goal is to obtain and implement a propulsion subsystem that delivers sufficient thrust to the body of the rocket in order to reach a desired altitude of 5,280 feet. As previously stated, the Cesaroni Pro L800-P is the selected motor to accomplish this goal. The stability margin shown in OpenRocket is As the mass grows, the Rocket Rebels will account for the ongoing change in the stability margin. The projected altitude is 5,516 feet based on OpenRocket simulations. 4.4 Payload System The Rocket Rebels have chosen to take on fragile material protection as their main experimental focus. The fragile material section of the rocket will be directly under the nose-cone. The team s main rocket design is restrained to a circular body with a five-inch diameter, 7.5-inch-long payload section. Using information from the fragile material protection requirements, the provided object could be up to 3.5 in diameter Analysis of Anticipated Forces The team anticipates that the initial launch will be the largest force that will need to be dispersed with minimal impact to the fragile material. During the entire flight, the payload will experience four main impulses: the impulse upon launch, the drogue parachute deployment, the main parachute deployment, and rocket impact with the ground. Launch impulse will have a much more considerable impact on the payload system than the other three alternative forces; therefore, the team will focus on constructing an apparatus to survive the magnitude and direction of the initial take-off while taking into consideration the direction of ejection charges and landing forces. The initial launch impulse will be the largest force of the entirety of the trip. The unknown fragile material will have to be accelerated from zero to the rocket s max launch velocity in a time less than five seconds. This force will need to be minimized by prolonging the time period the force speeds up the unknown object. The drogue parachute will deploy as close to the apogee as possible, which will minimize the impulse on deployment, leaving most drogue deployment force to result from ejection charges. The ejection charges of the drogue parachute will shoot away from the fragile material, causing the fragile material to move towards the aft of the rocket at the same magnitude of the ejection charge. The sudden velocity change when the drogue chute opens will cause the fragile material to move back towards the FWD end of the payload bay. The spinning of the rocket while descending must also be taken into account. The main parachute will deploy at an altitude of 800 ft, accelerating the rocket from about 78 ft/s to around 20 ft/s by the time the rocket makes contact with the ground. This impulse will cause the inverted nosecone to propel downwards, allowing the main parachute to deploy. The fragile material will already be accelerating downwards, with the FWD end facing down. The impulse from ejection charges will accelerate the rocket even further downwards, sending the fragile material up inside the rocket, towards the aft, the same direction of acceleration as the main launch. Again, there will be a sudden velocity change as the parachute opens and quickly decelerates the rocket and payload. The rocket is projected to land with the AFT and the FWD end both facing downwards, with parachutes in the middle, bending the rocket in half. The FWD end is longer, therefore should hit the ground before the aft. This means that the FWD end, the fragile material compartment location, will be accelerated upwards by the ground, causing the fragile material to move downwards, towards the FWD end, at roughly 20 ft/s. This will be the second largest impulse, directly opposite the direction of the launch impulse if descent goes as planned. UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI USLI PROPOSAL 14

15 4.4.2 Payload System Design The payload system will be built mostly with aluminum. The payload will be created in two separate parts, one permanent and one removable, connected with industrial elastic bands, so that the fragile material will be easy to insert into the rocket at any time. The two main portions of the payload will be a capsule to insert into the payload bay and a locked force dispersion system in which the capsule is located. The fixed system will include a set of pistons (6 on top, 6 on bottom) arranged equally in a radial manner. These small pistons will be connected with a metal ring, one on top of the chamber and one on bottom, so as to provide support and a connection point for the capsule. The pistons will have very small holes in which the air must siphon, providing a way to lengthen the time that the force will be acting on the fragile material in order to decrease the force at any given time. The metal ring will be created out of aluminum and will be welded to protrusions from the pistons. The capsule will be inserted into the middle of the top and bottom ring and attached with industrial elastic bands, to metal rings welded to the side of the capsule. The capsule will be able to fluctuate up and down via the rings to divert force, and the rings will cradle force by direct attachment to the pistons. The capsule will be made out of aluminum and will be lined with memory-foam strips, removable to fit the fragile material snugly. The capsule will be fitted with a screw-in top allowing easy access to the inside of the payload. Figure 5 shows a drawing of our proposed payload apparatus. Figure 5: Proposed Payload Design Concept Drawing UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI USLI PROPOSAL 15

16 4.4.3 Requirements The payload team s primary goal for Project Presidium is to design a system that will protect an unknown material with certain dimensional and weight restrictions from being destroyed during a complete flight on the team s constructed rocket. This will be achieved by creating a force dissipating system which will dampen the forces created during motor burn, parachute deployment, and touch-down. It must be light and sturdy so as to minimize force required to launch the apparatus. 4.5 Major Technical Challenges and Solutions The Rebel Rockets will be facing several challenges throughout the course of this project. Some of these challenges will stem from the fact that this is the first Student Launch Initiative team the Center for Manufacturing Excellence has formed. There is a steep learning curve that must be conquered, not only to get the rocket off the ground, but to also stay within budget and be competitive come Launch Day. The main challenges of Project Presidium result from the three missions of the launch: a rocket must be designed and built that will reach a specific altitude, carry a payload, and land safely on the ground. One of the main parameters of the rocket is that it must reach an altitude of 5,280 feet. This target altitude will be a function of the weight of the structure and the impulse supplied by the engine. The total impulse of the engine will be easier to control, because any engine can be selected, but budget costs will have to be taken into consideration. Once the rocket is built the appropriate motor will be selected for purchase to reach the target apogee. Additionally, the team must design a rocket recovery system that can successfully land the rocket with minimal kinetic energy and within a reasonable distance from the launch site. The drogue chute and the main chutes will be designed so as to deploy at specific altitudes which will control drift descent, reduce stresses induced on the parachutes, and minimize the speed of the rocket upon landing. Furthermore, the vehicle must carry with it a payload of unknown size, shape, and mass and return it safely to Earth. The team must design and build an apparatus to protect this payload from the forces it will experience during the launch, flight and landing. If the previous problem of controlling kinetic energy upon landing is solved, the largest force felt by the payload should be that of the launch. The payload apparatus will be designed to protect against this impulse. Additionally, the team will have the challenge of not knowing the size or shape of the payload, thus the design must be able to accommodate the variation in size. As this project is a new venture for the University of Mississippi, it goes without saying that the majority of Rocket Rebels has never built, tested or launched a rocket before this project. However, the team has clever engineers and detail-oriented people dedicated to making Project Presidium a success. The Rebel Rockets believe that adequate research, planning and ingenuity can make up for lack of experience. 5 Education Engagement The Rocket Rebels, a team within The Haley Barbour Center for Manufacturing Excellence, is centered on the idea that any manufacturing process begins and ends with the human mind and spirit. The team intends to encourage students through interactive science to realize their potential to innovate and explore the world through STEM subjects. To demonstrate this, activities will be planned that will challenge students to understand the benefits of lean manufacturing principles and other manufacturing concepts at the heart of the curriculum offered in this program. This team will be reaching out to the surrounding community in numerous ways, including local classroom visits. During school visits a minimum of three Rocket Rebels team members will be present and a summary of rocketry and STEM principles will be given; these presentations will be tailored to the UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI USLI PROPOSAL 16

17 age group and audience. If circumstances permit, a rocket of similar design and dimensions to that of Project Presidium will be displayed during the presentation. Younger audiences such as elementary level will focus more on the structure and function of various rockets as well as basic scientific principles through interactive activities. When engaging intermediate levels such as middle school, more hands on activities and brief experiments will be used to delve deeper into the mechanics of rockets including propulsion while still focusing on the foundations of engineering and physics. The high school level will receive the most detailed level of explanation regarding propulsion and avionics as well as other topics mentioned. Due to a greater understanding of these subjects in this age group, the activities utilized during these visits will be more intellectually engaging as well as being interactive. As well as making visits to schools, The Rocket Rebels will attend community events to engage students. These events will include local STEM fairs and competitions such as FIRST Robotics. Again, presentation and engagement methods will be tailored to the ages attending while being mindful of the interests of the audience. Multiple members of the team shall attend so that students questions can be thoroughly explored and answered. The goal of these visits is to promote interest in STEM fields and interest the students in rocketry related subjects. Additionally, specific university-grade tools are available to the Rocket Rebels team, including a portable planetarium, solar telescopes, and tracking telescopes that can all be used to convey scientific concepts to virtually any age group with myriad focal points. These tools must be used in conjunction with graduate students at the University of Mississippi, or members of The Center for Mathematics and Science Education which is located in close proximity to the UM campus. These resources will allow for an exciting range of engaging and inspiring STEM outreach opportunities in the community. 6 Project Plan 6.1 Project Timeline UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI USLI PROPOSAL 17

18 Figure 6: Managerial Gantt Chart Figure 7: Technical Gantt Chart Table 5: Task Table UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI USLI PROPOSAL 18

19 Outreach/Oth er Facilities and Equipment Sub-Scale Vehicle Research and Development 6.2 Budget Table 6: Budget Plan PROJECT TASKS MATERIAL COST ($) TRAVEL COST ($) OTHER COST ($) TOTAL PER TASK Procure Mid-Power Kits for Testing $ $0.00 $0.00 $ Procure JL Chute Release $ $0.00 $0.00 $ Procure Engines for Mid-power kits $50.00 $0.00 $0.00 $50.00 Travel to Mid-power launch $0.00 $ $0.00 $ Competition Project Payload Development $ $0.00 $0.00 $ Subtotal $ $ $0.00 $ Procure Airframe and Structural Components $ $0.00 $0.00 $ Procure Avionics MW RRC3 Altimeter $70.00 $0.00 $10.00 $0.00 Perfectflite StratologgerCF $55.00 $0.00 $10.00 $0.00 Mounting Hardware $10.00 $0.00 $2.50 $0.00 Procure Recovery System $ $0.00 $15.00 $ Procure Sub-scale 54mm HPR Motor $ $0.00 $20.00 $ Travel to Launch Site for Sub-scale Testing $0.00 $ $ $ Subtotal $ $ $ $1, Adhesives $ $0.00 $25.00 $ Tools $ $0.00 $0.00 $ Launch Stand $ $0.00 $0.00 $ Launch Controller $30.00 $0.00 $0.00 $30.00 Primer and Paint $60.00 $0.00 $0.00 $60.00 Batteries $20.00 $0.00 $0.00 $20.00 Vinyl (decals, wrap, etc.) $30.00 $0.00 $5.00 $35.00 Software $ $0.00 $5.00 $ e-matches $25.00 $0.00 $20.00 $45.00 Black Powder/Pyrodex or Equivalent $25.00 $0.00 $0.00 $25.00 Composite Mfg. Processing Materials Armalon/Peel Ply $75.00 $0.00 $25.00 $ Breather Cloth $50.00 $0.00 $10.00 $60.00 FEP Material $75.00 $0.00 $20.00 $95.00 Vacuum Bagging Material $80.00 $0.00 $20.00 $ Mold Release $75.00 $0.00 $25.00 $ Subtotal $1, $0.00 $ $1, Display $ $0.00 $0.00 $ Travel to Outreach Activities $50.00 $ $0.00 $ Team Apparel $ $0.00 $0.00 $ Subtotal $ $ $0.00 $ UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI USLI PROPOSAL 19

20 Project Vehicle Procure Airframe and Structural Components Nose Cone $ $0.00 $20.00 $ Airframe Tubing $ $0.00 $0.00 $ Airframe Couplers $75.00 $0.00 $10.00 $85.00 Bulkhead/Centering Ring Stock $50.00 $0.00 $10.00 $60.00 Fin Stock $50.00 $0.00 $10.00 $60.00 Motor Retainer $75.00 $0.00 $10.00 $85.00 Hardware and Fasteners $50.00 $0.00 $0.00 $50.00 Procure Avionics MW RRC3 Altimeter $70.00 $0.00 $0.00 $70.00 Perfectflite Stratologger $55.00 $0.00 $0.00 $55.00 Mounting Hardware $10.00 $0.00 $0.00 $10.00 GPS Tracking System $ $0.00 $0.00 $ Procure Payload System Payload Camera $ $0.00 $20.00 $ Payload Structure $ $0.00 $20.00 $ Payload Electronics $ $0.00 $20.00 $ Procure Recovery System Drogue Parachute $25.00 $0.00 $8.50 $33.50 Main Parachute $ $0.00 $15.00 $ Shock Cord $50.00 $0.00 $5.00 $55.00 Kevlar Thread $10.00 $0.00 $2.50 $12.50 Recovery Hardware $15.00 $0.00 $2.50 $17.50 Procure Test and Competition HPR Motor 75mm Motor Hardware $ $0.00 $25.00 $ mm Flight Test Reload $ $0.00 $25.00 $ mm Competition Reload $ $0.00 $25.00 $ Travel to Launch Site for Launch Test $0.00 $ $ $ Travel to USLI Competition $0.00 $1, $ $1, Subtotal $3, $1, $ $5, Subtotals $6, $2, $ $9, Risk (Contingency) $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 Total (Scheduled) $6, $2, $ $9, Funding Plan The Rocket Rebels will be receiving most of its funding through its primary sponsor, the Center for Manufacturing Excellence (CME). The CME will provide not only the monetary needs for both recurring and non-recurring costs associated with the rocket, but will also cover the costs for travel and lodging as necessary. The CME has encouraged the team to seek sponsorships from other corporate sponsors as well. Some companies, like GE and Orbital ATK have already pledged equipment time or have donated highquality materials for the team to use for the design. Team members who have interned or worked at engineering firms and manufacturing companies will explore other possible sponsorship opportunities with other companies. The team plans to reach out to local businesses as well for potential sponsors. This will drive a mix of donations from both the public and private sector in order to promote the rocket team. UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI USLI PROPOSAL 20

21 6.4 Sustainability Rocket Rebels is focused on making team members, partnerships, funding, and educational outreach sustainable. In order to recruit members for the inaugural year of the Rocket Rebels, interest was gained through the Center for Manufacturing Excellence, the main partnership of Rocket Rebels. This program incorporates majors from chemical, mechanical, and general engineering as well as business administration and accountancy. Currently the freshman on Rocket Rebels are the largest class contributing. This provides a base of recruitment for future Rocket Rebel teams. It also provides Rocket Rebels with a way to actively engage the incoming classes of STEM majors. The team is proactively working to partner with different sponsorships in the local area. Currently the team is maintaining a relationship with the Center for Manufacturing Excellence as they provide all the funding for the Rocket Rebels. The majority of Rocket Rebel team members are in the Center for Manufacturing Excellence which allows the team to use the facilities and equipment such as liquid injection molds and three-dimensional printing. Other private companies like GE and Orbital ATK have also invested materials or other resources for the Rocket Rebels project. Through these educational engagement events, Rocket Rebels hopes to inspire future generations to pursue STEM careers at the University of Mississippi. Ideally, the team will be able to help these students continue to foster their interest in rocketry by educating them before their post-secondary studies. 7 Appendix Appendix A: Range Safety Regulation Form I,, have fully read and fully understand the following regulations relating to operating high powered rockets: 1. The National Association of Rocketry High Powered Rocketry Safety Code 2. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1127: Code for High Powered Rocket Motors". 3. The Federal Aviation Regulations 14 CFR, Subchapter F Subpart C Amateur Rockets. I understand that the Range Safety Officer has the right to deny any rocket from launch. Before launch I will check with the RSO about: 1. Safety inspection of my rocket 2. Checking the stability of my rocket (center of pressure and center of gravity locations). 3. Weather conditions at the launch pad and predicted altitude 4. Electronics such as altimeters, timers, flight computers, etc. 5. Best recovery options including: Descent rates, launch pad inclination, etc. I agree to abide by the following safety regulations as outlined by the NASA Student Launch Handbook: 1. Range safety inspections will be performed on each rocket before it is flown. Each team shall comply with the determination of the safety inspection or may be removed from the program. 2. The Range Safety Officer has the final say on all rocket safety issues. Therefore, the Range Safety Officer has the right to deny the launch of any rocket for safety reasons. UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI USLI PROPOSAL 21

22 3. Any team that does not comply with the safety requirements will not be allowed to launch their rocket. I hereby reaffirm my commitment to keeping myself, my teammates, launch participants, and the environment safe from risk, harm, and damage. Signed: Appendix B: Risks and Mitigations Structure Potential Failure Mode Potential Effects of Failure Failure Prevention The fins fail during flight Fin fillets are incorrectly applied. A bulkhead fails due to loading Launch buttons/guides shear off during launch due to inadequate attachment. Launch buttons/guides shear off during launch due to inadequate lubrication of the launch rail. The rocket experiences drag separation during flight. The joints of the rocket do not separate for either parachute deployment The parachute deploys too early or too late in flight. Rocket components are lost or damaged during transport to launch site. Airframe is compressed under aerodynamic loads The center of gravity is too high or too low. The rocket will experience an unstable and unpredictable flight trajectory. Possible body tube damage due to in flight shear force. Rocket components lose attachment and risks damage to structure or loss of parts upon recovery. Unstable and unpredictable flight trajectory Unstable and unpredictable flight trajectory Premature separation of parachute. Structural damage "zipper". No parachute deployment, vehicle loss Structural damage "zipper" Mission delay, unless repairs can be made Vehicle loss The rocket will be unstable or overstable. The team shall use suitable building materials, through-the-wall fin mounting, and ample application of adhesive and fillets. Ensure that fins are properly reinforced with fillets. The team shall use proper bulkhead materials and properly analyze and test the bulkheads The team shall ensure proper attachment and alignment of rail buttons/guides The team shall apply a lubricant to the launch rail prior to launch. The team shall use shear pins. Drill a pressure equalizing hole. The team shall conduct pre-launch separation testing. The team shall ensure proper operation of recovery electronics. The team shall follow a thorough launch preparation equipment checklist. The team shall compression-test materials to ensure that material and structure is strong enough to withstand appropriate amounts of force. The team shall ensure at least a 2.0 stability margin (SM) and in the case of SM>3, the team shall ensure proper rail exit velocity UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI USLI PROPOSAL 22

23 The center of pressure is too high or too low. The rocket will be unstable or overstable. The team shall adjust fin sizing and position so that the center of pressure is 2-3 calibers behind the center of gravity. Payload Potential Failure Mode Potential Effects of Failure Failure Prevention Payload ground station fails to receive payload data Payload wiring connections fail during flight Payload wiring connections fail during transportation Payload lands in unintended orientation Static discharge to electronics. No scientific data will be recorded, wirelessly Payload does not function properly Payload does not function properly Proper data not collected Electronic instruments are damaged. The team shall install software on multiple computers and have those computers available at the launch. The team shall use proper connectors for all plugs and test them for vibrating and loading The team shall check over the connections prior to launch. The team shall ground test the deployment and landing of the payload Team members handling sensitive electronics shall wear the proper ESD protective equipment Recovery Potential Failure Mode Potential Effects of Failure Failure Prevention Shock cords break upon parachute deployment. Recovery electronics fail to deploy the drogue parachute Improper packing of parachutes Parachute damage due to ejection charges Parachute rips on deployment due to internal surfaces Too early or too late parachute deployment The parachute lines tangle upon deployment. Uncontrolled descent Uncontrolled descent until main parachute opens. Structural damage. Parachutes don't open properly or don't open at all The parachute becomes partially or entirely ineffective, causing an uncontrolled descent. The holes in the parachute may expand, causing an uncontrolled descent. Structural damage "zipper" The parachutes will be ineffective, causing an uncontrolled descent. The team shall test shock cords to ensure that they are sufficiently strong enough to withstand expected loads. The team shall test flight computers in a vacuum chamber prior to test flight. The team shall use proven packing techniques The team shall use flame/heat retardant material between the parachute/shock cord and the ejection charge. The team shall ensure all parachute bay surfaces are smooth. The team shall ground test all recovery systems The team shall test deployment prior to launch and use a UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI USLI PROPOSAL 23