Message-ID: <8aU724600VcJ0XJU4M@andrew.cmu.edu>
Precedence: junk
Reply-To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU
From: space-request+@Andrew.CMU.EDU
To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU
Date: Thu, 21 Jun 1990 03:00:21 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: SPACE Digest V11 #553

SPACE Digest                                     Volume 11 : Issue 553

Today's Topics:
	     Re: Aim For The Moon - model rocket contest

Administrivia:

    Submissions to the SPACE Digest/sci.space should be mailed to
  space+@andrew.cmu.edu.  Other mail, esp. [un]subscription notices,
  should be sent to space-request+@andrew.cmu.edu, or, if urgent, to
			 tm2b+@andrew.cmu.edu

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: 21 Jun 90 06:09:14 GMT
From: sam.cs.cmu.edu!vac@pt.cs.cmu.edu  (Vincent Cate)
Subject: Re: Aim For The Moon - model rocket contest


Lawrence Curcio:
>If you have smaller mass ratios, you are going
>to have to have more stages. More stages means bigger lower
>stages. There is a trade-off.

I can make a 12 stage rocket where the lowest stage is an "N" that has 
the same delta-V as an 8 stage rocket that you make where the top stage 
in an "N".  Your lower stage is far far larger than mine.

>(BTW the class N costs $1300, not $3000.)

The $3,000 was for one of every motor from "A" to an "N".

>Problem is, why send up only one ounce?  How will you know it 
>got anywhere? 

The 1 oz payload is a radio transmitter that sends out a burst every 
now and then (say 1/100th of a second every 100 seconds).  The burst
can be very high power while the average power usage is very low.
Using something like this I think we can get by without having a 
directional antenna on the rocket and using only a lithium battery 
(solar cells would be fun too).  

One thing the contest organizers would have to provide would be a number
of large ground dishes.  For low altitudes we should be able to get
by with a small portable dish.  After it has gone up 100 miles we could
follow it with one or more of the very large SETI dishes (like 90+ foot 
diameter).  We do, of course, need to talk some SETI people into this 
but I think that could be done.


Anyone interested in helping to organize an "Aim For The Moon" contest?

   -- Vince

------------------------------

End of SPACE Digest V11 #553
*******************