Reference / Paper · 2011
Peak of Flight #283: Using Rocketry Components to Teach Collegiate Engineering Analysis
Apogee Components' Peak of Flight newsletter, issue 283 (2011-03-29).
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- apogee-components
- model-rocketry
Reference / Paper · 2011
Apogee Components' Peak of Flight newsletter, issue 283 (2011-03-29).
Apogee Components' Peak of Flight newsletter, issue 283 (2011-03-29).
In This Issue Using Rocketry Components To Teach Collegiate Engineering Analysis Also In This Issue The Rocket Project Apogee Components, Inc. — Your Source For Rocket Supplies That Will Take You To The “Peak-of-Flight” 3355 Fillmore Ridge Heights Colorado Springs, Colorado 80907-9024 USA www.ApogeeRockets.com e-mail: [email protected] I S S U E 2 8 3 M A R C H 2 9 , 2 0 11 Using Rocketry Components To Teach Collegiate Engineering Analysis By Todd H. Treichel AltimeterOne Electronic Altimeter Used In Collegiate Engineering Analysis Project A recent outreach presentation to high school students concluded with one high school student commenting to me that his older brother was studying to be an engineer. The discussion lead to a phone call I received about the possibility of setting up an independent study project where a real-life process could be analyzed using statistical methods. At the university level a sixteen week semester may seem like a long time. However, in the design, development, and manufacturing world of aerospace a readily available project that can be finished in one semester is sometimes difficult to originate on short notice. This is when I turned to the very same topic I was presenting at an area high school, barometric pressure and altitude. The science of rocketry has numerous parallels to the aerospace industry and provides an excellent opportunity for learning math and science with practical application. No matter what the industry an engineering student may choose to work in someday, the creativity and levels of experimentation are endless. A benefit to both mentor and student is that the topic under study, whether it is an entire rocket system or a subassembly, can be managed to an appropriate level of complexity as to allow enough time for a final capstone paper and presentation at the end of the semester. Too many times I’ve seen where a student is at the mercy of a company timeline where engineering and process changes cause further delay in executing experiments that must be completed on time to meet academic deadlines. When designing a system for space flight, a failure cannot be tolerated. Unlike an automobile that can be returned to the service center for repair, once launched, a space system is nearly impossible to repair and if astronauts or robots are involved, the task becomes very expensive and difficult. Therefore, space systems must function when launched and continue to function throughout the respective product life-cycle (days, month, or years depending on mission). For this reason, engineers spend a great deal of About this Newsletter • Dimensional wear, material fatigue, assembly process Figure 1. AltimeterOne under test. Reading shows 29,420 feet. Continued on page 3 Newsletter Staff You can subscribe to receive this e-zine FREE at the Apogee Components web site (www.ApogeeRockets.com), or by sending an e-mail to: [email protected] with “SUBSCRIBE” as the subject line of the message. Page 2 time performing experiments and analyzing data to make informed decisions about how to best design space systems for the stated mission. Sensors of numerous types are used in a wide variety of space system hardware; temperature sensors, hydrogen sensors, oxygen sensors, carbon dioxide sensors, and pressure sensors to name a few. An engineer cannot simply select a sensor and design it into a flight system. An approved parts lists is often referenced where components are selected based on qualification data and or historical flight performance. When a new part is selected using performance capabilities stated by the manufacturer, objective evidence of these performance characteristics must be verified before inclusion into the system design. Design verification is another term used to describe a series of evaluations and tests used to validate a component and ensure that it is fit for use in its intended environment. The test methods, sample sizes, and acceptance criteria should be clearly specified during conceptual planning of a product or process, and the design should be validated. Some common factors for evaluation are: ISSUE 283 Writer: Tim Van Milligan Layout / Cover Artist: Tim Van Milligan Proofreader: Michelle Mason M A R C H 2 9 , 2 0 11 Continued from page 2 Using Rocketry To Teach Technical Analysis Atmospheric Pressure. (this is why deep-sea divers use rigid diving suits or diving bells that are controlled internally at approximately 14 pounds per square inch (PSI)). Atmospheric pressure can vary significantly depending on the elevation of the soil you are standing on and weather. Atmospheric pressure can change with changes in weather patterns, so it must be noted that measuring altitude with barometric pressure is not free from difficulties. On an afternoon full of weather changes, like an approaching cold front, air pressure can change by as much as 1 PSI or more, which relatively speaking could skew an altitude reading of up to 130 feet (40 meters) or more. In theory, an altimeter thinks this decrease in pressure is due to an increase in altitude and will read higher than you really are and the opposite is true when weather conditions improve causing the altimeter to read lower than you really are. Rocket flights are relatively short in duration so barometric pressure changes are not of great concern and the AltimeterOne scales to zero during power-up and can be reset during times of continuous use. Before an analysis of the AltimeterOne can begin, we must review the environment in which our sensor is intended to operate. The pressure of the atmosphere at any point is due to the weight of air above it (gravity pulling downward). As you increase in altitude the air particles around you become fewer, so the less atmosphere or pressure is exerted on you. As you enter into space, the amount of pressure becomes less and less and constitutes a vacuum. The opposite effect occurs when you drop below sea-level. Inward pressure increases on you as you descend lower Atmospheric pressure is often measured using a mercury barometer, where mercury (represented as Hg on the chemical periodic table) is used to measure and determine atmospheric pressure. In the aerospace industry the subject of altitude testing can become quite challenging when it comes to communicating the amount of pressure, or in the case of vacuum, differential pressure. It is not uncommon to hear scientists recording air pressure in millibars, where one millibar equals 1/1000 of a bar. The bar and the millibar are metric units and the non-metric unit of pressure is variation • Variation of critical characteristics throughout the range of the stated tolerances • Contamination • Environmental aging and extreme environmental conditions • Extreme usage, such as maximum loads or long duty cycles. In review of the bulleted list above, variation of critical characteristics throughout the range of the stated tolerances was selected as the research question to evaluate the stated altimeter capability of zero to 29,500 feet. This article will summarize how an AltimeterOne (www.ApogeeRockets.com/AltimeterOne.asp) was used in collegiate study and statistically analyzed for sensor accuracy using linear regression and correlation. Continued on page 4 AltimeterOne - See how high your rocket flew • Records peak altitude up to 29,000 feet (ASL). Displays in meters too! • Easy-to-read LCD display. No need to count beeps or flashes of light. AltimeterTwo - See how fast and high your rocket went • Records peak speed and acceleration using 3-axis accelerometer. ������ �������� Penny shown for size comparison ���� • Also tells you how high the rocket flew. www.ApogeeRockets.com/AltimeterOne.asp ISSUE 283 M A R C H 2 9 , 2 0 11 www.ApogeeRockets.com “The one altimeter you’ll use in every rocket you fly.” Your Source For Everything Rocketry AltimeterOne Page 3 Continued from page 3 Using Rocketry To Teach Technical Analysis the Pascal (Pa), which equals 1/100 of a millibar. This can become quite tricky because as you move higher in altitude and transition into space vacuum, aerospace engineers and NASA personnel begin to change their terminology and reference space vacuum in Torr (1 Torr = 1013.25 millibars). What you need to know for the purpose of this analysis is that atmospheric pressure at sea level averages 1 atmosphere (atm) or 1 Torr or 1013 millibars, which Feet Miles Meters F C Hg. In. Hg. Vacuum Abs. 656,000 150,000 100,000 90,000 80,000 70,000 60,000 55,000 50,000 45,000 40,000 35,000 30,000 25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000 9000 8000 7000 6000 5000 4500 4000 3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 -500 -1000 -1500 -2000 -2500 -3000 -3500 -4000 -4500 -5000 124.3 28.4 18.9 17.1 15.2 13.3 11.4 10.4 9.5 8.5 7.6 6.6 5.7 4.7 3.8 2.8 1.9 1.7 1.5 1.3 1.1 0.95 0.86 0.76 0.66 0.57 0.47 0.38 0.28 0.19 0.09 Sea Level -0.09 -0.19 -0.28 -0.38 -0.47 -0.57 -0.66 -0.76 -0.86 -0.95 200,000 45,720 30,510 27,459 24,408 21,357 18,306 16,781 15,255 13,730 12,204 10,679 9153 7628 6102 4577 3050 2746 2441 2136 1831 1526 1373 1220 1068 915 763 610 458 305 153 0 -153 -305 -458 -610 -763 -915 -1068 -1220 -1373 -1526 -58 5 -51 -57 -62 -67 -70 -70 -70 -70 -70 -66 -48 -30 -12 6 23 27 31 34 38 41 43 45 47 48 50 52 54 55 57 59 61 63 64 66 68 70 71 73 75 77 -50 -15 -46 -49 -52 -55 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -54 -44 -34 -24 -14 -5 -3 -1 1 3 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 29.919 29.877 29.591 29.4 29.0927 28.595 27.785 27.208 26.476 25.545 24.362 22.86 21.017 18.8 16.16 13.03 9.34 8.53 7.69 6.82 5.93 5.02 4.55 4.08 3.59 3.1 2.6 2.1 1.59 1.06 0.54 0 -0.55 -1.1 -1.66 -2.22 -2.78 -3.35 -3.92 -4.5 -5.08 -5.66 mm Hg. Abs. PSIA 9.43X10-8 2.40X10-6 4.64X10-8 0.043 1.09 0.021 0.329 8.36 0.162 0.52 13.2 0.255 0.8273 21 0.406 1.325 33.7 0.651 2.135 54.2 1.05 2.712 68.9 1.33 3.444 87.5 1.69 4.375 111.1 2.15 5.558 141.2 2.73 7.06 179.3 3.47 8.903 226.1 4.37 11.12 282.4 5.46 13.76 349.5 6.76 16.89 429 8.29 20.58 522.7 10.1 21.39 543.3 10.5 22.23 564.6 10.91 23.1 586.7 11.34 23.99 609.3 11.78 24.9 632.5 12.23 25.37 644.4 12.46 25.84 656.3 12.69 26.33 668.8 12.93 26.82 681.2 13.17 27.32 693.9 13.41 27.82 706.6 13.66 28.33 719.6 13.91 28.86 733 14.16 29.38 746.3 14.43 29.92 760 14.696 30.47 773.9 14.96 31.02 787.9 15.23 31.58 802.1 15.51 32.14 816.4 15.78 32.7 830.6 16.06 33.27 845.1 16.34 33.84 859.5 16.62 34.42 874.3 16.9 35 889 17.19 35.58 903.7 17.48 equals 29.2 inches (760 millimeters) of mercury. In case you find yourself tossing around such terminology and need to interpret atmospheric pressure and altitude, the reference chart in Table 1 has been created for cross reference. The functional make-up of a mercury barometer (see Figure 2 on the next page) is why atmospheric pressure is often referenced in inches or millimeters. A mercury barometer has a glass tube that is at least 33 inches (approximately 84 centimeters) in height, closed at one end with an open mercury-filled Kg / sq. reservoir at the base. The cm kPa A Millibars atm Torr 3.15X10 0 0.01 0.00 0.0016 weight of the mercury cre0.00014 0.15 1.46 0.00 1.09 ates a vacuum in the top of 0.011 1.12 10.67 0.01 8 0.018 1.76 17.33 0.02 13 the tube causing the mercury 0.029 2.8 28.00 0.03 21 0.046 4.49 45.33 0.04 34 in the tube to adjust until the 0.0738 7.24 71.99 0.07 54 0.0935 9.17 91.99 0.09 69 weight of the mercury column 0.119 11.65 115.99 0.11 87 balances the atmospheric 0.151 14.82 147.99 0.15 111 0.192 18.82 187.98 0.19 141 force exerted on the reservoir. 0.244 23.93 238.65 0.24 179 0.307 30.13 301.31 0.30 226 High atmospheric pressure 0.384 37.65 375.97 0.37 282 0.475 46.61 466.63 0.46 350 places more force on the 0.583 57.16 571.95 0.56 429 reservoir, forcing mercury 0.71 69.64 695.94 0.69 522 0.738 72.4 723.94 0.71 543 higher in the column and low 0.767 75.22 751.94 0.74 564 0.797 78.19 781.27 0.77 586 pressure allows the mercury 0.828 81.22 811.93 0.80 609 0.86 84.33 843.93 0.83 633 to drop to a lower level in 0.876 85.91 858.59 0.85 644 the column by lowering the 0.892 87.49 874.59 0.86 656 0.909 89.15 891.92 0.88 669 force placed on the reservoir. 0.926 90.81 907.92 0.90 681 0.943 92.46 925.25 0.94 694 Pressure is recorded as the 0.96 94.19 941.25 0.93 706 0.978 95.91 958.59 0.95 719 level of mercury height in the 0.996 97.63 975.92 0.96 732 vertical column or glass tube. 1.015 99.49 994.58 0.98 746 -9 1.0333 1.052 1.071 1.091 1.109 1.129 1.149 1.169 1.188 1.209 1.229 101.33 103.1 105 106.9 108.8 110.7 112.7 114.6 116.5 118.5 120.5 1013.25 1030.58 1050.58 1069.24 1067.91 1106.57 1126.57 1146.57 1165.23 1185.23 1205.23 1.00 102.00 1.04 1.06 1.05 1.09 1.11 1.13 1.15 1.17 1.19 760 773 788 802 816 830 845 860 874 889 904 Table 1. Vacuum reference chart. Altitude Testing � Using the functional concept of a mercury barometer (see Figure 3), altitude testing can be performed in Continued on page 5 We’re Paying Cash For Great Articles for This Newsletter Are you a writer looking for some serious pocket change? We’re paying up to $350 for good how-to articles for this newsletter. If you’re interested, see our submission guidelines on the Apogee web site. www.ApogeeRockets.com/Newsletter_Guidelines.asp Page 4 ISSUE 283 M A R C H 2 9 , 2 0 11 Continued from page 4 Using Rocketry To Teach Technical Analysis a laboratory using a manometer to simulate various differential pressure environments. As shown in Figure 4, commercial airliners travel in the troposphere layer of the earth’s atmosphere. It is important to note that at 4.6 km (15,000 ft) the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires supplemental oxygen for pilots and passengers and a typical altitude for a commercial airliner is approximately 35,000 feet, which equates to 22.86 Figure 2. Fundamental inches of mercury. NASA make-up of a mercury often launches weather balbarometer. loons to gather important science data about the atmosphere and these balloons can fly as high as 41.1 km (137,000 ft), and the International Space Station (ISS) orbits the Earth at an altitude of about 403 km (1,322,178 ft). The U.S. definition of space flight is anything higher than 264,000 feet (80.5 Km). The higher the mission altitude requirement, the more sophisticated the test equipment becomes to perform altitude simulation testing. For the purpose of testing the AltimeterOne a specialized vacuum pumping system and vessel was used to perform a correlation study between Figure 3. Inches of mercury scaled to altitude in aerospace laboratory. inches of mercury (Hg Vacuum) and altitude readout. Similar to atmospheric pressure acting against the mercury illustrated in Figure 2, a vacuum pumping system was used to simulate differential pressure relative to ambient air pressure in Madison, Wisconsin (1016.4 millibars or 29.98 inches of mercury). In other words, the calibrated reference for ground-level altitude was Figure 4. Layers of the atmosphere in reference to mission altitude requirements. Continued on page 6 Model Rocket Design and Construction By Timothy S. Van Milligan New 3rd Edition Now Shipping! This new 328 page guidebook for serious rocket designers contains the most up-to-date information on creating unique and exciting models that really work. With 566 illustrations and 175 photos, it is the ultimate resource if you want to make rockets that will push the edge of the performance envelope. Because of the number of pictures, it is also a great gift to give to beginners to start them on their rocketry future. For more information, and to order this hefty book, visit the Apogee web site at: www.ApogeeRockets.com/design_book.asp Apogee Components 3355 Fillmore Ridge Heights Colorado Springs, Colorado 80907 USA telephone: 719-535-9335 website: www.ApogeeRockets.com ISSUE 283 M A R C H 2 9 , 2 0 11 Page 5 Continued from page 5 zero, and increases in altitude were made by creating enough vacuum (± 2%) inside the chamber to cause mercury to rise in accordance with the referenced altitude (see Table 2). Please note that we are interested in studying the magnitude of change Table 2. Vacuum set points for across the tolerance altitude test environment. range of the altimeter and not looking to study a specific altitude. Inches of mercury (Hg) were controlled using the equipment illustrated in Figure 5, at an ambient temperature of 24 degrees Celsius (75 degrees Fahrenheit). Altimeter Correlation Analysis Earlier we discussed process capability and our desire to determine if the AltimeterOne device is capable of measuring the Figure 5. Specialized vacuum altitude range stated chamber for altitude testing. by the manufacturer (0 – 29,500 feet). We don’t have access to a flight vehicle and a 29,500 foot tape measure to verify the capability of the altitude measurement process. A process can be defined as a unique combination of tools, materials, methods, and people engaged in producing a measurable output. There are two techniques engineers can use to study the relationship between two variables: (1) correlation analysis, which is used to measure the strength of relationship between two variables, and (2) regression analysis, which can be used for estimating one variable based on another. The mathematical and engineering term for this type of analysis is called linear regression and correlation and was the statistical method selected to for verification of the AltimeterOne device. The variable used as the estimator is called the independent variable and the variable being estimated is called the dependent variable. In the case of this analysis, vacuum applied in Hg is the independent variable and the AltimeterOne value obtained is the dependent variable. In essence, we are suggesting that a rise in mercury is related to a higher altitude reading, and we want to analyze this relationship from ground level up to 30,000 feet. A useful tool for correlation analysis and regression is the scatter diagram. A scatter diagram depicts the relationship between two variables where the independent variable is represented on the horizontal axis (x-axis) and the dependent variable along the vertical axis (y-axis). Suppose we fired the same rocket five times using Apogee 24mm Single-Use Composite Rocket Motors (www.ApogeeRockets.com/composite_motors.asp) rated at y 40 Newtons, and after each launch we removed an equal amount of mass from our payload bay. One would assume that there would be a correlation between higher mass and x lower altitude. In theory, you Mass Weight might expect to see a scatter diagram looking something like Figure 6. Scatter diagram what is illustrated in Figure 6. showing negative correlation between rocket mass and altitude. Continued on page 7 Altitude Using Rocketry To Teach Technical Analysis • Allows you to use smaller diameter motors in your rocket kits (adds versatility) • Change out motors in seconds • Works with all single-use and reloadable motors • Four sizes available www.ApogeeRockets.com/Aeropack_Adapters.asp Page 6 ISSUE 283 M A R C H 2 9 , 2 0 11 www.ApogeeRockets.com Quick-Change Motor Adapters Continued from page 6 Using Rocketry To Teach Technical Analysis A measure of the linear (straight-line) strength of the association between two variables is what we are most interested in and is called the coefficient of correlation. The coefficient of correlation is usually designated by the lower case r and may range from -1.0 to +1.0 where a value of -1.0 indicates a perfect negative correlation (as shown in Figure 6) and likewise a +1.0 indicates a perfect positive correlation. A coefficient of correlation of 0.0 indicates there is no relationship between the two variables under study. It must be noted that the degree of relationship strength is not contingent on the sign or direction of the coefficient of correlation. For example, an r value of -.65 represents the same degree of correlation as +.65. No correlation r = 0.0 y y x Strong positive Weak positive correlation correlation y r = 0.89 r = 0.60 x x Figure 7. Interpretation of correlation coefficient and scatter diagrams. Scientific prediction and correlation are closely related topics and an understanding of one requires and understanding of the other. The presence of zero correlation between two variables x and y can usually be interpreted to mean that there is no systematic relationship to each other. So it is better to predict something about the dependent variable from your independent variable than to guess. If we were designing a flight system that required several AltimeterOne devices to successfully perform from zero to 25,000 feet, your boss or future employer would not be too appreciative of a simple guess. Scientific data would provide the objective evidence needed to justify your design selection of the AltimeterOne device. A straight line between any two points can be represented by the equation: y – a + bx where a is the intercept point where the line crosses the y axis, and b is the slope of the line (or the number of units that y increases when x increases). In predicting one variable based on knowledge of another, the equation is used to plot a straight line that best fits all the data. This line is called the regression line and the method for fitting a regression line to a set of data containing two variables is called the method of least squares. This is why there are fit lines plotted on the images in Figure 7. For the purpose of this article, statistical software was used to generate our regression line, and we recommend consulting a statistical reference book should you be interested in further reading on the subject of least of squares. x y The AltimeterOne was Sample (Hg) (Feet) placed into a vacuum cham1 0.00 0 2 0.22 242 ber and exposed to differential 3 0.54 487 pressure levels in accordance 4 1.06 977 5 2.1 1972 with the Hg levels illustrated in 6 4.08 3969 Table 3. Likewise, correspond7 5.93 5943 ing altimeter altitude readings 8 7.69 7968 9 9.34 10040 were recorded after venting the 10 13.03 15130 vacuum chamber to simulate 11 16.16 20050 12 18.8 24980 rocket apogee. A scatter dia13 21.02 29420 gram and regression line were Table 3. Data from Alcreated using MINI-TAB statistitimeterOne altitude test. cal software (see Figure 8). The coefficient of correlation was computed using the following formula, where ∑ xy is the sum of the product of the variables, ∑ x2 and ∑ y2 are the sum of squares for Continued on page 8 Think of the convenience of getting everything to professionally install your dual-deployment or other electronic payload into a e-bay of your rocket! Includes: nylon standoffs, screws & nuts, wire, push-switch, drill & tap, ejection charge cannisters, barrier strips, wire ties, and step-bystep DVD instructions. www.apogeerockets.com/electronic_mounting_kit.asp ISSUE 283 M A R C H 2 9 , 2 0 11 www.ApogeeRockets.com Electronics Hardware Installation Kit Page 7 Continued from page 7 Using Rocketry To Teach Technical Analysis Sample the variables, ∑ x and ∑ y and are the sums of the variables, and n is the sample size (see Table 4 for arranged data): 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Total AltimeterOne Altitude Test Data 30000 Feet 20000 x 0 0.22 0.54 1.06 2.1 4.08 5.93 7.69 9.34 13.03 16.16 18.8 21.02 99.97 y 0 242 487 977 1972 3969 5943 7968 10040 15130 20050 24980 29420 121178 xy 0 53.2 263.0 1035.6 4141.2 16193.5 35242.0 61273.9 93773.6 197143.9 324008.0 469624.0 618408.4 1821160 x 2 0 0.0 0.3 1.1 4.4 16.6 35.2 59.1 87.2 169.8 261.1 353.4 441.8 1430.3 y 2 0 58564 237169 954529 3888784 15752961 35319249 63489024 100801600 228916900 402002500 624000400 865536400 2340958080 Table 4. Data table needed to compute totals and squared totals. 10000 0 0 10 20 Hg Vacuum Figure 8. Scatter diagram from analysis data. A calculated r of 0.993 suggest a strong positive correlation between the Hg vacuum set point and the AltimeterOne altitude reading. The coefficient of determination is the square of the coefficient of correlation which can be found by 0.9932 = 0.987 which indicates that 98.7 percent of the variation in altitude readings can be explained by the Hg vacuum set point. In other words, the AltimeterOne is doing precisely what the manufacturer says it should and meets critical characteristics throughout the range of the stated tolerances (0 to 29,500 feet). Conclusion Whether you are a student or educator, rocketry proContinued on page 9 • GPS - tells you the position of the rocket at any point in the flight • Dual-Deployment - controls when the main and drouge chutes deploy • Transmits telemetry in real-time • Eliminates seperate electronic boards that can cause radio-frequency interference • Transmitter doubles as a rocket tracker to help you locate the rocket in scrub or canyons Launch Landing www.ApogeeRockets.com/Altus_Metrum_GPS.asp Page 8 ISSUE 283 M A R C H 2 9 , 2 0 11 www.ApogeeRockets.com One Small Payload That Controls The Flight And Sends You Back LIVE Flight Data Your Source For Everything Rocketry GPS Tracking, Telemetry Transmitter & Dual-Deployment Electronics Continued from page 8 Using Rocketry To Teach Technical Analysis vides a host of opportunities to prepare future high-tech professionals. Verification and validation is a process used by design and development companies for checking that a product, service, or system meets specifications and that it fulfills its intended purpose. Using a statistical technique like the one described in this article will make for a great piece of reference material during a job interview or other similar presentation. It is one thing to say you learned something in class, but yet another to say you conducted the research, performed the analysis, and have a report containing evidence providing a high degree of assurance about your claim. I told my student to remember, “One test is worth a thousand expert opinions.” There is a business strategy called Six-Sigma, used by companies all over the world, which advocates the use of statistics for making process decisions and improvements. One such example is that in 1999 Lockheed Martin started the LM21 initiative, which stands for Lockheed Martin in the 21st Century and was the pioneer program for implementing Six-Sigma concepts for achieving company-wide improvements. Rockwell Collins has also implemented Lean Manufacturing, where statistical techniques are used for quality improvement in the design of military and space products. I suggest referencing Developing Creativity Using Model Rockets to Teach the Techniques of Problem Solving (www.ApogeeRockets.com/creativity_book.asp) and review the many educational outcomes from the process of preparing students for school and professional careers. The ability to define quality and quality improvement concepts is a coveted skill among graduating engineers. References Berger, R. W., Benbow, D. W., Elshennawy, A. K., Walker, H. F. (2007). The Certified Quality Engineer Handbook (2nd ed.). Milwaukee, WI: ASQ Press. Brown, J. E. (1990). Statistical Methods in Engineering and Manufacturing. Milwaukee, WI: ASQC Press Burch, David F. (2009) The Barometer Handbook; A Modern Look at Barometers and Applications of Barometric Pressure. Seattle, WA: Starpath Publications Harris, N. (2007), Modern Vacuum Practice (3rd. ed). Glasgow, UK: Bell and Bain, Ltd. Van Milligan, T. S. (1995). Developing Creativity Using Model Rockets to Teach the Techniques of Problem Solving. Colorado Springs, CO: Apogee Components. About the Author: Todd Treichel is a Senior Systems Engineer at Orbital Technologies Corporation (ORBITEC) located in Madison, Wisconsin. He is senior member of the American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), and serves as the Wisconsin outreach chairman, which involves administering a Rocket Science for Educators program for K-12 teachers, promoting Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in curriculum development. His background also includes teaching statistics in the Wisconsin Technical College System and mission assurance and reliability work on military products, satellites, crew instrumentation, and propulsion space vehicles. Todd holds a BS and MS in manufacturing engineering and management and is level one certified with the National Association of Rocketry (NAR). He also is the coach for a grade school rocket team that plans to fly at the Rockets for Schools competition in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Todd is married and has two children learning RockSim and a six year old who just finished a Payloader One. Your Cool Rocket Designs Look So Much Better In RockSim Version 9! Design It. Launch It. v9 www.RockSim.com Space Foundation certified as an excellent teaching aid. For further information, call Apogee Components at: 719-535-9335. ISSUE 283 M A R C H 2 9 , 2 0 11 Page 9 The Rocket Project By Dr. James Fullingim Model rockets are a perfect way to demonstrate how scaled down, three dimensional rockets utilize all of the basic principles of flight that exist in larger aircraft. Thrust, drag, lift and weight are demonstrated in theory and quite graphically when model rockets are taught in this particular course. My college students become completely absorbed in this project while achieving the goal of building a handson training aid that utilizes aeronautical principles taught in professional flight instruction. We call this activity the rocket project. Model rockets are a valuable tool in teaching numerous aeronautical applications in higher education curriculum. I have personally used them for over 15 years in my university aviation classes to demonstrate advanced forms of training aids in formal classroom settings. The course I utilize model rockets in is called Techniques of Instruction, which is an upper level university course to prepare students how to become flight instructors. Techniques of Instruction acquaints students with the fundamentals of teaching and learning in an aviation related environment. It also introduces construction skills, techniques of instruction and analysis of flight maneuvers. The rocket project consists of a two week course that is a part of designing training aids to better teach flight instructor lesson plans. The rocket project requires that a specific kit is to be built, weighed, performance calculated, launched using the same motor, altitude tracked and the results tabulated and compared. On day one, simple skill-level 1 rocket kits (www. ApogeeRockets.com/Skill_lvl_1_kits.asp) are distributed to the class, along with detailed handouts and reprints from educational curriculum. These plans describe the aerodynamics and basic physics concepts utilized in aerospace applications. Numerous model rocket videos from various sources are also shown on the first day. The class is encouraged to study and even alter the fin design of their rocket kit. Tips for first time and more experienced rocketeers are provided on how to better finish the fins, as well as how to streamline the balsawood fins. Photo 1: Rockets are used to train teachers on how to become better instructors. Continued on page 11 Pro-X A better way to fly.™ • Standard Sizes Fit Your Existing Fleet • Easy Assembly, Minimal Clean-up • Casings & Propellant Available • Adjustable Ejection Delays • 9 Propellant Formulations 29mm Starter Pack Available www.ApogeeRockets.com/Cesaroni_Reload_Kits.asp Page 10 ISSUE 283 M A R C H 2 9 , 2 0 11 www.ApogeeRockets.com Kick Your Rockets Into High Gear Your Source For Everything Rocketry Cesaroni Reload Motors Continued from page 10 The Rocket Project Day two has hands on demonstrations on how to use provided custom plans to cut out new fins from balsawood stock, as well as how to sand and use sanding sealer to produce better airfoils. Painting techniques are also discussed. Day three has each student weighing their rocket on a triple beam scale. With the measured weight, students use the original 1970 Estes TR-10 Altitude Prediction Charts to predict how high their rocket will fly, although using RockSim would be just as good and quicker if you’re under a time cruch. Everyone uses the same motor. The B6-6 (www.ApogeeRockets.com/estes_items.asp) has been a favorite choice, as this is a good middle of the road choice for thrust, while providing a long tracking time for better recovery of the rocket. At the end of the calculations, students are required to orally announce how high their rocket will fly. Some good ol’ rocket science intuition is encouraged at this point! Day four is the launch day, weather permitting. The field is measured using the single-station technique described in Peak-of-Flight Newsletter 92 (http://www.ApogeeRockets.com/Education/Downloads/Newsletter92.pdf). This method has worked surprisingly well over the years and is quite accurate. Hand-held altitude trackers (www. ApogeeRockets.com/altitude_tracker.asp) are used, with measured angles being recorded by each tracker. Handheld Motorola radios are used by the trackers and launch team to better synchronize the recording of each launch. The trackers rotate halfway through the launch so everyone will have their chance to launch their own rockets. At the end of the event, I collect all of the clipboards with the measured angles and calculate the altitudes. Day five is the awards ceremony. The “best achieved altitude” and “comes the closest to the predicted altitude” winners are announced. There are other dubious awards, such as highest altitude, lowest altitude, greatest difference in predicted altitude, heaviest rocket, and most spectacular flight. Awards consist of new rocket kits, motors and certificates. The benefits of the rocket project for college students can be measured by providing a project that is a handson experience with models, friendly competition between classmates, and a heightened awareness of aerodynamics and performance in a classroom activity. See also: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=30 1703&id=117992935984&ref=mf www.ApogeeRockets.com/classroom_rocketry.asp • Won’t Shatter Like Brittle Phenolic Tubes! • Super Smooth Surface With Tight Spirals • Standard LOC Diameters Up To 6 inches • Cut and Slot With Standard Tools • No Fiberglass Wrap Needed • Sands and Paints Easily • Cheaper than Fiberglass Blue Tube From Always Ready Rocketry www.ApogeeRockets.com High Power Tubes & Couplers www.ApogeeRockets.com/blue_tubes.asp ISSUE 283 M A R C H 2 9 , 2 0 11 Page 11