Gerben-Jan Ligthart presents the N20 after recovery.
ASK 't Harde, 7 April, 2000 - After setting up the day before, we arrived at the launch site at nine on the Friday morning. The site was covered in thick fog, but fortunately after an hour it was gone. After the last preparations we began with some model rocket launches, but a combination after badly charged batteries and non-original igniters with Estes motors, made launching impossible. Fortunately we still had some Estes igniters, but not enough. We had only enough igniters to launch six model rockets, of which four flew well, one went ballistic and the other never left the launching platform due to a too short launching lug.
The highlight of the day is as always the amateur rocket, this time a Hercules type rocket named N20. The N20 was basically the N19, but with new electronics. The faulty IA-X96 Cambridge Accelerometer was replaced by R-DAS of AED Electronics. The N20 flew well, but made a sharp turn just above the tower. The R-DAS electronics performed good and conformed that the N20 hadn't reached its calculated altitude. We suspect the K2000 rocket motor of being not as powerful as we thought it would be.
This time we also had guests; two young rocketeers had built a rocket called the "Red Devil". It had 22 Estes D-motors divided over four stages. They were affected by Murphy's Law when a launch lug broke of the rocket and it they couldn't repair it at the launching site.
The day before the launch the "Red Devil" like all other rockets was checked by NAVRO officials Gerben-Jan Ligthart and Peter Leemker.This peculiar rocket was built by two young rocketeers and had a complex arrangement of 22 Estes D-motors divided over four stages.When we arrived at the launch site at nine on the Friday morning, the site was covered in thick fog, but fortunately after an hour it was gone.The launch tower for the "Red Devil" was erected before the launches began.Prepared model rockets with inserted motor and all, ready to be launched.A model rocket launch.Benjamin Wilkosz with the "Red Devil".The launch of Pleun Punt's "The Red Dwarf" on 3 Estes D-motors.While this looks like something went wrong, it is actually the moment of separation for parachuting.The rocket hangs safely on its parachute.And landed in a tree...A failed model rocket launch where the rocket jammed on its launch lug and did not lift off.An example of a ballistic landing after the model rocket did not deploy its parachute.A model rocket launch.A model rocket launch.The N20 with the igniter already placed in the K2000 motor. The clear area in the fins holds the aerial of the N18's (the flight number of the rocket in an earlier incarnation) camera system.The N20's lift off.A little higher.Gerben-Jan Ligthart displays the N20 after recovery.The R-DAS results of the N20.Packing the prep tent after the launch.
