CASPER, Wyoming USA — The next CP Technologies solid rocket motor design course will be May 1st through May 4th, 2008 in Casper, Wyoming. The class costs $195 and includes the "How To Make Amateur Rockets" 2nd Edition bookset, all motor/propellant materials and lunches.

A $30 discount is given to students who already own the 2nd Edition bookset.  John Wickman, a professional aerospace engineer, teaches the course.  Participants do not have to be US citizens and do not have to be members of any rocketry organization to attend.

Participants will learn how to design both ammonium perchlorate and ammonium nitrate composite solid rocket motors.  They will be assigned an individual maximum motor peak chamber pressure and pressure-time curve shape and design a motor to meet those goals during the class.  They will make their individual motors and test fire them on the last day to see how close they came to their design goals.

Those attending the class will make their own motor parts, mix and cast the propellant and assemble their own motors. They will also learn about several different types of igniters and make an igniter for use in their motor. Propellant formulation as well as thermal and structural analysis of motors will also be covered in the class.

People interested in attending the class should sign up as soon as possible since the class size is restricted to six students. Registration can be done online. 

More information on the class can be found at http://www.space-rockets.com/ae101.html.

05-15-2008 07:14 PM  #1
mikewhorley Certified Level Two   Joined: Jul 2007 Posts: 83	Re: Next CP Technologies rocket motor course to be held May 1-4 This was a GREAT time! Here is a class pic and some motor data.

05-16-2008 07:43 AM  #2
denverdoc Rana sapiens   Joined: Aug 2007 Posts: 2959	Re: Next CP Technologies rocket motor course to be held May 1-4 Mike, glad to hear that John is still holding classes and that it was a worthwhile. We may need to send Steve Shannon there for some in depth reporting. BTW the files showed pressure but no thrust data, what size motors were those?

05-17-2008 10:17 AM  #3
mikewhorley Certified Level Two   Joined: Jul 2007 Posts: 83	Re: Next CP Technologies rocket motor course to be held May 1-4 Here is the thrust data for mine and Jeremy's Motor. Mine was 656 Ns and his was 492 Ns. The class was more than worthwhile. John is a great guy with a wealth of information.

05-17-2008 10:48 AM  #4
UncleVanya If pigs had fins...   Joined: Sep 2007 Posts: 3258	Re: Next CP Technologies rocket motor course to be held May 1-4 Ok... a couple of quick questions: Why are the two motors so different? I assume (hope?) that they were different from the start - maybe the number of grains? These are PVC - right? The closest place I can fly research is in Orangeburg and they do not allow PVC motors - did the local TRA prefect have to be convinced of the safety or was this a non-issue?

05-17-2008 01:03 PM  #5
mikewhorley Certified Level Two   Joined: Jul 2007 Posts: 83	Re: Next CP Technologies rocket motor course to be held May 1-4 Yes they where suposed to be diffirent. All the motors had a thrat dia of .375 and a boar dia of .75. From there we each where given a target PSI and either a progressive or regressive burn. Both me and Jeremy had regresive burns. Jeremys target PSI was 325. He had 9 grains each being 1.25in long. My target PSI was 425 so I had 10 grains 1.375in long. Yes these motors where PVC and I am pretty sure it was a non issue. Here are a few pics of the motor after firing and cut open.

05-18-2008 12:22 AM  #6
UncleVanya If pigs had fins...   Joined: Sep 2007 Posts: 3258	Re: Next CP Technologies rocket motor course to be held May 1-4 Quote: Yes they where suposed to be diffirent. All the motors had a thrat dia of .375 and a boar dia of .75. From there we each where given a target PSI and either a progressive or regressive burn. Both me and Jeremy had regresive burns. Jeremys target PSI was 325. He had 9 grains each being 1.25in long. My target PSI was 425 so I had 10 grains 1.375in long. Yes these motors where PVC and I am pretty sure it was a non issue. So were the curves and the PSI randomly assigned to you? That's a nice way to ensure that you have really learned your stuff. What is the nozzle made of? Is it water putty?

05-18-2008 12:41 AM  #7
mikewhorley Certified Level Two   Joined: Jul 2007 Posts: 83	Re: Next CP Technologies rocket motor course to be held May 1-4 Exactly, with a graphite insert about 1/4in thick.

05-18-2008 06:33 PM  #8
Steve_Shannon Growing more clueless...   Joined: Aug 2006 Posts: 2067	Re: Next CP Technologies rocket motor course to be held May 1-4 Quote: Mike, glad to hear that John is still holding classes and that it was a worthwhile. We may need to send Steve Shannon there for some in depth reporting. I'm ready to serve. I have wanted to go to one of these classes for a while now. I found out about the last one too late to change my travel plans. I was in Casper around that time, so it could have worked well.

05-18-2008 06:59 PM  #9
Steve_Shannon Growing more clueless...   Joined: Aug 2006 Posts: 2067	Re: Next CP Technologies rocket motor course to be held May 1-4 Quote: Yes these motors where PVC and I am pretty sure it was a non issue. PVC is considered frangible (it breaks into pieces) and the TRA Research Safety Code specifically forbids the use of frangible case materials. What the safety code does not consider in this matter is that PVC is very lightweight and so for this purpose, if it breaks as a result of overpressure, the pieces will lose velocity very quickly. The classes taught by Wickman do not have to follow the TRA Research Safety code as they are not affiliated with TRA.

05-18-2008 08:20 PM  #10
mikewhorley Certified Level Two   Joined: Jul 2007 Posts: 83	Re: Next CP Technologies rocket motor course to be held May 1-4 Motors were also fired within a steel shed with an 8 foot blast deflector on the business end.

05-18-2008 10:44 PM  #11
UncleVanya If pigs had fins...   Joined: Sep 2007 Posts: 3258	Re: Next CP Technologies rocket motor course to be held May 1-4 Quote: Motors were also fired within a steel shed with an 8 foot blast deflector on the business end. Mike I'm sure you will be able to use the information you learned to build non-PVC motors. It would be nice to know specifically how you will use this info for future EX work. In other words, what you will take away from this class?

05-19-2008 07:18 PM  #12
mikewhorley Certified Level Two   Joined: Jul 2007 Posts: 83	Re: Next CP Technologies rocket motor course to be held May 1-4 The class was great, its one thing to read about something, its another actualy doing it. I have read both TerryMcCreary's and John's books and both have great information about aluminum casings. Johns book goes into great depth on structual analysis. In the next few months I hope to have all the equipment. I am currently in the process of making some bulkheads and coring rods. A great advantage of living in ND is the openess. We have a shop with plenty of open space in the middle of nowhere. The plan is to have a few successful static runs by the fall. (If we get some rain)

05-19-2008 09:46 PM  #13
UncleVanya If pigs had fins...   Joined: Sep 2007 Posts: 3258	Re: Next CP Technologies rocket motor course to be held May 1-4 Thanks for the info Mike. I really appreciate you taking the time to explain things. That makes a lot of sense. In my neck of the woods Thunderflame is my most accessible motor building class and I am thinking about trying that.