We calculated the Cp of the motor and payload to be located 166" from the nose tip (or NEP).

To have the stability we desire, we need to have the Cp 1.3 calibers (or 1.3 times the diameter of the payload) behind the Cg. This comes out to about 19". Which means that the Cg must be no farther back than 147" NEP. We had to move some of the internal electonics around a bit to accomodate these requirements, but we were able to achieve our necessary Cg without adding weight to the front of the rocket.

Throughout the project, I am keeping track of the Cg of the vehicle with this excel spreadsheet.

Cg Caculations in Excel format so you can play with them.

 

The UAF Student Rocket Project builds and flies sounding rockets with help from Wollops Flight Facilty.

Our latest mission, SRP4, is a student designed and built payload. It will be carrying a science instrument designed by students and professors at Toyama Prefectual University in Japan. Our goal is to measure the D-region of the ionosphere.

SRP4 will fly atop an Orion sounding rocket motor that will be supplied by NASA's Wollops Flight Facility.

We expect to launch from Poker Flat Research Range in March of 2002.