Level 3 Rocket
In order to launch large test rockets for our rocketry club, we needed someone with a Level 3 NAR/Tripoli certification. At the time I had only been in the club a year, but had a lot of experience and was eager to take on the challenge of building a Level 3 rocket. I spent two weeks designing the rocket body, recovery system, and avionics bay. During that time I tracked down members of the Level 3 Certification Committee to review my plans and sponsor my Level 3 attempt. I also created a certification package detailing all of my design decisions, as well as the rocket’s performance characteristics, schematics, and construction photos. Both parts of the certification package are available on this webpage.
I first flew my rocket in early March of 2016, and while the flight itself went well, the parachute detached from the rocket about 100 feet above the ground, failing my attempt. The cause of the failure was a last minute change that I made that bypassed the three point recovery harness that I had designed. Without a three point connection, the rocket spun and unscrewed the bolt that connected the parachute to the rocket. The entire bottom section of the rocket was destroyed upon the hard landing. I was however able to rebuild the section of the rocket within the three week window before the next launch.
I successfully flew my rocket in late March of 2016, achieving all three rocketry certification levels in under one year. With a Level 3 certification I can launch rockets with up to 9200 lbf/s of impulse. The entire process was an incredible rewarding experience in terms of what I accomplished as well as lessons learned. One of my most important take aways was to trust my designs and not make changes last minute.