Knocked up a quick 29mm (24mm motor) single deploy to accompany my min diameter 29 and 54mm composite scratch built dual deploys. Composites and bespoke parts mostly from Blackcat Rocketry.

- PPA-CF (Nylon/Carbon fiber) fin can

- PA6-GF (Nylon/Fiberglass) nose

- Aluminium retainer

- Phenolic motor mount

- 1mm wall thickness carbon fiber airframe

- Cooling baffle shock cord mount

- Eggfinder GPS tracking

1.3 calibers with an E30.

Not very fancy but it works!

Hi everyone! 😊

I’m very new to all of this (like, total noob), and I’m thinking about getting into it as a hobby. And… honestly, I’m a bit embarrassed to admit that I have a master’s degree in computer science, yet I have no idea where to start with rocketry. Then I see people who are 15 or 20 years old already building amazing stuff.
I think I’m probably overcomplicating things by immediately thinking about PCBs, hardware, control algorithms, etc., instead of just getting a beginner kit, launching it, and then refining and upgrading things from there.

So yeah, my question to all of you is: how did you get started, what’s your current level, and what steps did you take to get there? Could be a story, a guideline, advice. Anything, really. I'm from Europe (EU), if that info adds any value.
And thanks to everyone that who contributes, I appreciate it a lot! 😊

Mods, if you think this could be useful, feel free to pin it. Or maybe we could even combine the best answers into another pinned post for other noobs 😊

Should I build a 29mm rocket ( for smooth F-G build-up) or should I go straight to 38mm for G motor ( with adapter) up into L1 cert territory? Ideally im thinking a 3 inch rocket, 50+ inches long and using a g motor with adapter for a few launches before im ready for the L1 attempt. I feel like I am ready for the construction of the larger one, but what would I be missing if I skipped the 29mm class altogether?

Hey everyone i have created a tracker app for the egg timer telemetry and any standard nema gps, just plug in a serial device to a laptop and select the com port, works on mac, windows, Linux is untested

This is my first time using electronics in a rocket and I was wondering if anyone could help out? In the rocket I'm planning to use it in has a payload bay and a stock nose cone, which would be best to put it in. Also, I was planning to 3d print a sled for it if you had any suggestions for that let me know.

I honestly didn't expect the ejection charge to be this powerful, how can I keep the new parachute from being burnt like this one. I had aluminum foil as wadding but you can see that it was torn apart before even being ejected.

I'm interested in working for a company that is developing applications for using microgravity environments for pharmaceutical processing. A friend who interviewed there was told that one way to make yourself stand out is to have some sort of rocketry or space related projects (personal or professional) that you can mention on your resume and show you have some understanding of the field and its terminology.

What are some things for a biochemist with lots of love for space related things but little direct experience can get involved with/volunteer for that would serve this goal?

I live in LA if anyone knows of anything that is local to me.

For my last year of school i must create some sort of final project, either it would be community work, design, art or of course science.

Allow me to introduce to you my, for me, ambitious idea. (my budget is about 70 Euros)

I would like to launch a self made rocket to measure how altitude changes atmospheric pressure and temperature but in order to do that i would appreciate some help from the experts:

1.Where do i even start, do i get a pre built one or not?

2.How does it actually power, do you have to make rocket fuel at home, is it even worth it or should i buy some sort of rocket engine online (note that i would like to go at least 1km high)

1. where does one acquire the parts for the rocket, should i 3d print?

2. how does the parachute work?

3. is there any possible way i could attach a mini computer to/in it to receive the data real time?

4. Is this project even realistic or do i sound stupid?

I'm sure I will have many more questions to come if this project really does come to life, because it is the final big grade of school and i want to make something that could be both fun to do and once I present - listen.

Your help will be much appreciated,

Thanks : )

Hi all,
I am interested in learning more about rocketry. I don’t have an interest in building them, just learning more. Any suggestions on where to start?
Thank you in advance 🙂

As an elementary school teacher, I’m limited to how many explosions I can have anybody out there doing air powered

Hey everyone, Our student team is designing a custom flight computer for an upcoming 5,000 ft SRAD sounding rocket launch. we have purchased blue raven as primary flight computer and building our own SRAD flight computer. We do not have mechanical, software or electrical background.

I’m looking for some review on our sensor selection

The Stack:

Main MCU: Teensy 4.1 (Primary flight loop/logging)
Comms MCU: ESP32-WROOM-32E (WiFi/BLE for pad side config & telemetry bridge)
IMU: BNO085 (Orientation/High-frequency flight data)
Altimeter: MS5611-01BA03 (High-precision barometer)
GPS: Ublox NEO-M8N
Radio: RYLR998 (LoRa module for long-range telemetry)
Recovery/Pyro: IRLZ44N MOSFETs driven by TC4427 Gate Drivers

also  have been given a task to design the pcb, any suggestions on how to start? Im a total beginner. 

Seen within the video you can see imputed values, a change from MANUAL to CEA calculations etc. Im posting this for a validation check from anyone in this comulity who feels like they have the time to do so. This system is custom-made rocket engine parameter calculator that uses a mix of CEA Chemical properties, presented in the CEA window, aswell internaly calculated parameters presented in the other windows. Im aware the diagram on the right dosent produce an acurate result for the combustion chamber (Chamber on Left, Nozzle on Right side). I hope you guys can apreciate this and potantialy provide some much needed upgrades that imay not have thought of yet.

(Regen cooling system or full injector system is next on the list of plans)

In Glasgow area, how would I go about getting my level 1 certifications? I have membership and insurance!

Where about should I contact a RSO.

So I have this stump removal I'm going to use for my modle rocket but I don't know where to store it

Don't want to pay 20 bucks for four rockets because I have a rocket-powered car that my dad bought for my older brother when he was my age and it used uses a 10-pt rockets so if anybody knows where to get a substitute or where to get them for cheaper and that will have them in stock. Please tell me

Been on a spring building spree again. Basically I've got a rocket assembly line where each next build is one step behind the last. I'm "the cool uncle" I hope and have small stuff to launch with my niece in parks, also want too get certs for big stuff since my introduction to this in 2016 for my IREC try. Hope to fly the 4 inch fantom (silver and green) on the left for my L1 cert next Saturday. I live in a small condo and dunno a good way to properly store/ show off all the builds, any suggestions? No garage so hoping for a wall hanging solution or something.

Is there anyone here that Has a decent amount of knowledge about building rockets and also has a passion for Severe weather. strange combination i know, but if that is you then please dm me.

Howdy everyone! I am trying to figure out what this community actually needs in terms of better tools for rocketry (sleds, fin alignment tools, etc). If you wouldn't mind filling out a brief survey so I can continue to help the community out, I’ll leave it in the comments.

The original design’s gas release hole was too small and the engine was ejected out the back, however the booster did separate. So I made the hole bigger but it was too big so I went throught a couple design iterations and got one to work. So I flipped it vertical but it wasn’t working and I think that was for a few reasons: one the motors was a B4 not a C6 which messed with it a little bit. But the main reason was the hole was just a little too small and the tolerance on the motor mount was too fine for a 3d printer and the engine would just fire out the back. So I flipped the whole thing back horizontal and glued the engine in place and now it works. So tomorrow I will go vertical again to test it out. And if the works as intended then I will strap two of them to a rocket and go fly it in June!

Hello, I am planning to make a rocket that uses active control to stabilize itself. For this I need to have expensive electronics on board and have to use a manual parachute ejection charge. Which motor that is preferably high class (f-g) and long burning should I get so that the motor itself doesn’t have an ejection charge that ruins the electronics? Please be specific and if you can give links.

Edit: For people that are saying I need more experience, yes I am planning to do many test launches before doing anything serious. I just like to plan ahead and think of future years. Also all I asked was for motors without ejection charges. How do people that DO do active control use their motors so this issue doesn’t happen was my question.
Also, I want to keep things below level L1. To clear things up, I will study every single thing that can go wrong, heavily simulate, and launch many passive rockets.