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Making a rocket to beat all other rockets


alpha tech

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My Brother and I have an idea to make a rocket that will beat all other armature rockets.

and since we play KSP we will be doing it the hard way yes a feat no other person will beat. we will go to orbit.

quote " not because it is easy but because it its hard and that goal is one we are willing to accept and one we are unwilling to postpone."

so assuming that I live in the Oconee County Region of South Carolina and have a shop will all of the (necessary tools with in reason) to build this rocket.

I want to use a liquid fuel and an oxidizer as the first stage. then solid rocket fuel will be next since it is easy to ignite like the explore 1 probe..

payload will be a camera, G.P.S unit, radio transmitter, and some other goodies.

now I know that there are some aspects that KSP doesn't teach like rocket plumbing, reaction wheels, etc.

I am the senior rocket scientist on this project and my brother will help out in ways he can be useful like helping me do all the work.

and to think this is a crazy idea I am trying to keep cost a minimum by using high grade aluminum alloys that I will make my self from soda cans. yes soda cans.

from there I can melt them down add copper, zinc, and magnesium, to make a high grade Al 7075-T651 alloy. this may take a long time.

now for thermal protection. I have no idea how hot it will get and the only high durable heat resistant material I have Is steel.

remotely controlling our craft is another thing unless orbital decay but we have to dual coat the heat shield and have all of the components in a ball and coat it and have a heat shielding coat on it and a parachute recovery system. but I would like a controlled recovery system. preferably a splash down with floats.

I will post more later   

 

 

 

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7 minutes ago, alpha tech said:

and to think this is a crazy idea I am trying to keep cost a minimum by using high grade aluminum alloys that I will make my self from soda cans. yes soda cans.

from there I can melt them down add copper, zinc, and magnesium, to make a high grade Al 7075-T651 alloy. this may take a long time.

 

Amongst many other things, I think you may find this particularly difficult if you have no way of accurately monitoring or controlling the composition of the metal. Drinks cans are not 100% aluminum and don't have a standardised composition, so you could large amounts of steel in them in some places, no steel in other places e.t.c.

Also, I'm not sure there are many shops that have equipment that can deal with getting copper up to it's melting point (almost 1400 K) 

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Just now, Steel said:

Amongst many other things, I think you may find this particularly difficult if you have no way of accurately monitoring or controlling the composition of the metal. Drinks cans are not 100% aluminum and don't have a standardised composition, so you could large amounts of steel in them in some places, no steel in other places e.t.c.

Also, I'm not sure there are many shops that have equipment that can deal with getting copper up to it's melting point (almost 1400 K) 

 I looked on Wikipedia for the alloy 7050 and under T65 whaterver. just look up the alloy

 

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2 minutes ago, Steel said:

Amongst many other things, I think you may find this particularly difficult if you have no way of accurately monitoring or controlling the composition of the metal. Drinks cans are not 100% aluminum and don't have a standardised composition, so you could large amounts of steel in them in some places, no steel in other places e.t.c.

Also, I'm not sure there are many shops that have equipment that can deal with getting copper up to it's melting point (almost 1400 K) 

 I do I have oxy acetylene torch. mig welding, arc welding, plasma cutting, lathe, ect.

1 minute ago, Steel said:

Ok, what are you trying to tell me?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7075_aluminium_alloy

The aluminum used in United States and Canada are alloys containing 92.5% to 97% aluminum, <5.5% magnesium, <1.6% manganese, <0.15% chromium and some trace amounts of iron, silicon and copper according to MSDS from aluminum producer Alcoa.[6] Alloys used include 3004, 3105, or other 3xxx/5xxx series aluminum. (Wikipedia)

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1 minute ago, alpha tech said:

not really I have furnace that can melt steel

Yes, but do you have a way to accurately measure and control the composition of the alloy you've attempting to make?

Ok, sensible choice! Which oxidiser?

Edited by Steel
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3 minutes ago, Steel said:

Yes, but do you have a way to accurately measure and control the composition of the alloy you've attempting to make?

Assuming that I have or can aquire the nessacary items required for this job

besides I live in the south were most of our income comes from industrial labor.

Edited by alpha tech
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5 minutes ago, alpha tech said:

Assuming that I have all or can aquire the nessacary items required for this job

Ok. Are you planning to build the engine, plumbing, pressure vessels e.t.c from scratch too? 

Edited by Steel
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What oxidiser are you planning to use along with the ethanol? Also are you planning to actively cool this engine, as most fuel/oxidiser combinations burn a lot hotter than the melting point of aluminium alloys?

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Other than the ATF coming after me because of revenue. none

also I have three years of math (1 MS) and (2 HS) but have learned more advanced math.

KSP Aerospace engineering since October 2012

I will take a look into this

3 minutes ago, munlander1 said:

If this is a problem, this will also require cooling that is very complex.

 

4 minutes ago, munlander1 said:

If this is a problem, this will also require cooling that is very complex.

is it with Ethanol and LOX

Edited by alpha tech
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4 minutes ago, alpha tech said:

also I have three years of math (1 MS) and (2 HS) but have learned more advanced math.

KSP Aerospace engineering since October 2012

Yeah, if KSP is your only experience with rocketry, chemistry or any kind of engineering, I suggest you immediately stop what you are doing before you hurt yourself or someone else. Real life is nothing like KSP

Edited by Gaarst
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3 minutes ago, alpha tech said:

I will take a look into this

There are two big problems with heat. 

1.getting it away from the engine. If you use a liquid, you have to plumb it which adds weight and

2. dissipating the heat. The easiest way to do this would be to run the fluid on the surface of your vessel, unless you are going so fast the surface would heat up

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Just now, Gaarst said:

Yeah, if KSP is your only experience with rocketry, I suggest you immediately stop what you are doing before you hurt yourself or someone else. Real life is nothing like KSP

Indeed.  Stop now before you lose some fingers... or a hand, or an arm, or your entire house.  KSP is not real life, and in real life you can easily kill yourself if you're not careful.

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1 minute ago, alpha tech said:

I'll take a look into it

Cryogenics boil off over time. Meaning when you get it you don't have a long time to use it. Also cooling becomes an even larger priority.

 

Have you tried building anything or do you just have an idea?

Edited by munlander1
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1 minute ago, alpha tech said:

were rednecks. we don't care besides we lauch in the desert at that place for ameture rocket makers and we aint even close to making the rocket yet

That attitude will get you or someone else killed. You need to take your time in planing and safety.

It does not matter if your rocket fails or not of it kills you in the process.

Edited by munlander1
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