The Thursday evening at the mess. Harry Advokaat, Jan-Hein Ramakers and Bert Koerts are enjoying themselves with some beer.
ASK 't Harde, 3 September, 2004 - As usual the launch campaign took place on two days: the Thursday, when we prepare the launch site and rockets and the Friday, when we launch the rockets. On Thursday the launch tower and the new upright motor test stand were quickly erected. Preparing the rockets took some more time, because two flyers arrived to late. All but Bert Koerts' Payloader, which was missing his motor casing, were ready in time for launch on Friday. The Thursday ended with a good meal and great evening at the mess.
Friday morning started with breakfast and some last preparations. The first launch was the Shock and Awe of Leon Krancher and Mark Uitendaal. Their two-stage rocket is powered by two potassium nitrate and sorbitol motors they developed themselves. The rocket had a good lift off. The first stage was dropped at an altitude of 170m and the second stage reached an altitude of 420m. When the rocket parachuted the nose cone broke from the rocket, but all parts landed undamaged. The stage separation was better than its first launch at NLD19. Next was the level 1 certification flight of Tripoli The Netherlands member Ramon Peeters with his Amraam 2. The rocket had a good flight on an AeroTech H128-W and Ramon Peeters got his level 1. Later, when looking at the pictures, it was discovered the rocket left the tower at a considerable angle, fortunately away from the public. This was probably due to the relatively large top fins of the Amraam 2 design.
After the crash of the N24 16 months earlier no N-rocket had flown. This summer the old N8 (1993) was rebuild and mated in the N25 with a Kalinitrox K600 motor, which was held in storage for eight years. Like the N8 rotation was also measured. The launch was perfect, in fact one of the best I have ever seen. The N25 reached 1260m and it rotated around its vertical axis in 1.8 seconds. The next launch was the Jan-Hein Ramakers' Sonic Boom with one of his Basterd motors. Unfortunately this launch became a failed motor test, as the motor produced only smoke and no thrust. The last HPR launch was Bert Koerts' Bullpup, which had a nice flight. The launches ended with two big model rockets of Michael Fach, which both flew well.
This was followed by NAVRO motor test CMT0409. In the new upright NAVRO motor test stand the new Kalinitrox motor was tested. This motor has another mixture of Kalinitrox and uses Bates grains instead of an hollow tube/slotted tube combination. Unfortunately the pressure inside the motor became to high and the safety mechanism was activated. It seemed at the time the motor has acted as an hollow tube motor, probably because the top and bottom sides of the grains were not completely flat. Apart from two failed motors it was a very good launch.
Results from the Pads onboard computer of the first stage of the Shock and Awe.Results of the second stage of the Shock and Awe.Results from N25's R-DAS computer. The X-axis is time in seconds, the blue Y-axis is altitude in metres and the black Y-axis is gravity. The first red line is lift off and the second is the top.More N25R-DAS readout. The X-axis is time in seconds, the blue Y-axis is altitude in metres and the green and purple Y-axis are the rotation. The first red line is lift off and the second is the top.After 1.6s at 85 bar the safety mechanism was activated and the pressure went down to 5 bar. From 2s the measurement is a bit disturbed by a melted cable.
Photos
Thursday morning 2 September, the NAVRO crew arrived.With the launch tower is already standing fine, Vincent Kouer and Peter Heeren make final adjustments to the motor test stand.Leon Krancher and Mark Uitendaal prep their Shock and Awe.Ramon Peeters is almost ready prepping his Amraam 2.Peter Heeren and Vincent Kouer are prepping the Kalinitrox test motor, which was to be used in the motor test of a day later.Ramon Peeters' Amraam 2.Jan-Hein Ramakers helps Bert Koerts prep his Bullpup.Later that evening Harry Advokaat, Jan-Hein Ramakers and Bert Koerts are enjoying themselves with some beer.More people and more beer.Ramon Peeters places the AeroTech H128-W in his Amraam 2.Jan-Hein Ramakers's Sonic Boom.This ancient device is used by the military to check the angle of our towers. They collect it each time from the bases museum.The Shock and Awe is placed in the tower.Lift off of the Shock and Awe.Lift off of the Shock and Awe.The Shock and Awe just after stage separation.Results from the Pads onboard computer of the first stage of the Shock and Awe.Results of the second stage of the Shock and Awe.The launch of the Amraam 2.This side view shows that the Amraam 2 lifted off at a considerable angle, fortunately away from the public.Vincent Kouer on the footboard of a 4x4.Peter Heeren connects the igniters to the N25.Pleun Punt with the safety plug and ribbon of the N25.The N25 lifts off.The N25 just above the tower.The N25 had a perfect flight and flew in a straight line upto 1260m.Results from N25's R-DAS computer. The X-axis is time in seconds, the blue Y-axis is altitude in metres and the black Y-axis is gravity. The first red line is lift off and the second is the top.More N25R-DAS readout. The X-axis is time in seconds, the blue Y-axis is altitude in metres and the green and purple Y-axis are the rotation. The first red line is lift off and the second is the top.Jan-Hein Ramakers' Basterd motor of the Sonic Boom produced just smoke instead of thrust.Residue of the Basterd motor of the Sonic Boom on a small rock.The Bullpup just after the motor was ignited.The launch of Bert Koerts' Bullpup.Michael Fach launched two mid power rocket: the A4 ...... and the Tsiolkowsky.Vincent Kouer and Peter Heeren adjust the motor test stand with the new Kalinitrox test motor.The thrust sensor of the motor test stand.The first few moments of the Kalinitrox test motor went fine.A second later the safety mechanism is activated, because the pressure in the motor was to high. This created an another opening on the top side of the motor and thus lowering the pressure considerably.After 1,6s at 85 bar the safety mechanism was activated and the pressure went to 10 bar. From 2s the measurement is a bit disturbed by a melted cable.The motor test stand after the failed test.
