Rocket POV
After a few frustrating failures, I finally got the tiny HD video cam to work as a strap-on this weekend at the BALLS launch event in the Black Rock Desert (high-temperature duct tape survives supersonic flight). We started with our reliable “Quantum Nike” rocket on a sparky Aerotech K850 motor. The name is an homage to D-Wave and our dorky jokes about warped reality and blasting to super(sonic)position.
She pulled 34 G’s going 0 to 1,078 MPH (Mach 1.4) in 2 seconds flat.
Apogee at 10K ft.
This a special rocket for me as it was my son’s first high-power build. We used four of his Jenga blocks vertically on the inside to couple the thrust from the bottom motor bulkhead to the bottom of the four fins. It was a perfect fit. For a drag race with our friend Erik, we once improvised a nose weight with what I had in the desert, and sent my son’s milk bottle up (a tasty treat on recovery).
It was quite nostalgic for me, as my son starts college today, and we have been doing rocketry together since he was 3.
Here is a video compilation from our rocket cam, pad cam, and remote camera at launch control: https://youtu.be/npWPlF17CUI It was a perfect flight, spewing glowing qubits of titanium all about.
And my photos of the Nike’s adventures at various launch events over the years: https://www.flickr.com/search/?user_id=44124348109%40N01&sort=date-taken-desc&view_all=1&text=nike
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