This page details my contributions to Foundry, the research and development team within Rocket Project at UCLA. My primary responsibilities as airframe engineer include making aeroshell, internal structure, and stability design decisions, as well as ensuring coherent integration.
The aeroshell was made out of bluetube due to its light and cheap nature. The primary focus of the rocket was to test the viability of using pyrotechnic bolts for serial stage separation. These bolts, made of Nylon, were manufactured personally by either myself or Kyle Pagadayunan. In essence, these bolts are carefully filled with black powder and an igniter; thus, any current can be used to initiate separation.
Once separation in the 3D Printed model was achieved, testing could transition to the next section. With the fully CNC'd flanges in a newly acquired plexiglass test chamber, the following successful separation was achieved.
Above is the first successful separation of the fully assembled flange; with the airframe nearly completed, all that remains before proceeding with launch is making separation as close to 100% consistent as possible as well as recovery testing and electronics integration.
Pictured above is a 3D Printed flange for separation testing. One side will attach to each stage.
The most common challenge which accompanied using these nylon bolts was failure of the epoxy; that is to say, rather than rupturing the wall of the bolt along the channel, the epoxy would merely burst out of the top. This can be seen in the first video below; however, more precise channeling as well as spacing the flange with nuts creates a more consistent separation.
Once separation in the 3D Printed model was achieved, testing could transition to the next section. With the fully CNC'd flanges in a newly acquired plexiglass test chamber, the following successful separation was achieved.
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