RockSim Virtual Rocket Contest #7 CONTEST - IS OVER! Contests:   All   Previous   Next

Essence's Model Rocket Reviews (EMRR) is happy to introduce the seventh "virtual" rocket contest. It is also our second Guest Judged contest... so welcome to the Todd Mullin Open - "Mach 1-2-3".

Do you "feel the need for speed"? The goal of this contest is to design a multi-stage rocket that will fly a wide variety of mission profiles requiring three different staging configurations.

So grab your favorite rocket simulation software and build a rocket that meets the design requirements below. The official flights will be made using Rocksim version 7.04, but any software can be used to test your design. You can even submit your design drawn by hand if you want!

The "virtual fly-off" will start on May 1, 2005.

Contest Requirements:

• RockSim Owners: Entry must be (1) RKT files (any version)
• RockSim DEMO Entries: Entry must include the following:
  • All the information from the Parts List
  • A drawing of your fins with dimensions clearly indicated
  • Thickness of your fins (material is in Parts List)
  • Location of your fins with reference to the rear of the rocket in inches
  • Please contact EMRR beforehand for tips on submitting demo entries
  • Demo entries may require follow-up questions from the judges to ensure that what we judge is an accurate copy of what you intended
• Name your Rocket
• Contestants may only have (1) entry
• Contestants must be on EMRR's Announcement List to be eligible
• Build Bonus: Bonus points will be gained if you build, fly and produce pictures of the rocket:
  • +1 point for picture of the rocket static
  • +1 point for picture of the rocket launching or descending
• Newbie Bonus: To encourage new contestants, bonus points will be awarded to first- and second-time contestants
  • +1.6 points for first-time entrants
  • +0.5 points for second-time entrants
• Early Bird Bonus: To reduce log-jams near the contest deadline contestants, early entrants will receive bonus points, based on the time they submit a qualified design.
  • If there are 10 entrants or less, the early-bird bonus will be +0.9 points for first entrant +0.8 points for second entrant etc. to 0.1 points for 9th entrant
  • If there are more than 10 entrants, the early-bird bonus will be (0.1 * Number of later entrants).
  • No early bird bonus during final week, regardless of order of entry
• Entries must be received by 4/30/2005. A contestant whose entry does not meet the contest guidelines will be notified and allowed to re-submit a corrected entry. Please submit your entries early to ensure that you will have time to make corrections if necessary. This is especially important for RockSim demo and other software entries.
• Contest will take place from 5/1 - 5/5.

CLICK HERE FOR Q A

CLICK HERE FOR Fine Print

RockSim Rocket Design Requirements:

• Body Tubes:
  • All tubing must come from RockSim database.
  • Tubing sections may not be longer than their database default lengths. Tubing sections must be joined by realistic couplers, bulkheads, transitions, centering rings, or sleeves.
  • Body tube reinforcing is not required. We all know that an Estes-like tube probably wouldn't hold up to a mach 1+ flight...but that is the beauty of virtual airframes!
• Motor Configuration:
  • The Rocket will be a 3-stage rocket
  • Designer's choice (cluster, or single-engine) for Top (sustainer) and Middle (2nd stage)
  • Bottom (3rd stage) must be clustered
  • Strap-on Boosters not allowed
  • Unlimited impulse allowed
  • New Certified Motor File will be used. All motors contained in this file are valid. (engine_file_rocksim_certified_motors.zip)
    (if you need assistance loading these, first read this, if you still need help e-mail EMRR)
  • You must choose your motors for each Event
    • Motors may be the same size or one size smaller than their motor tube size; exact size is not required. That is a MMX in a 13mm, a 13mm in an 18mm, etc. No adapter is needed in the design.
    • All Motor tubes must all be loaded for all events
  • No manual modification of the .eng file
  • Motor overhang will be the default 0.5 inches unless told otherwise.
  • Since AP motors are difficult at best to stage without on-board electronics, if you choose to use them in the multi-stage events, a single 2oz., .736"x3" stager must be allowed for, including an realistic bay. This must be in either the Top (sustainer) or Middle (2nd stage). All AP motors may be used for staging, not just zero delay motors. All booster delays will be set to zero seconds.
  • For black powder staging, the following are allowable boosters:
    • Booster 24mm - C11-0, D12-0, E9-0
    • Booster 18mm - C6-0 or B6-0
    • Booster 13mm - A10-0
  • No ignition delays will be allowed
• Fins:
  • There are no specific fin requirements for the Top (sustainer) or Bottom (3rd stage)
  • There must be a minimum of 5 fins on the Middle (2nd stage)
  • Fins can not be any thinner than 1/4" of an inch if balsa, cardboard, or paper, or 1/16" if stronger material
  • Tube fins and ring fins are allowed, but must have both their mass and drag accounted for. (see how-to article)
• Recovery:
  • Streamer or parachute recovery are allowed
  • Streamer or parachute must be at least 0.001" thick.
  • Streamer folding IS allowed to increase the drag
  • Maximum Streamer or Parachute size: Whatever will fit into the body tube (visually observed in the design's 2D mode)
  • Must include a realistic shock cord
• Launch lugs are OPTIONAL. We will be flying from virtual 6-foot towers. (This is a change from previous contests).
• Materials must be standard weights that are in the Rocksim database
• Materials must be standard thicknesses that are in the Rocksim database
• NO CP Overrides
• NO Mass Overrides (other than those in the standard RockSim database)
• Mass Objects ARE allowed for adjusting CG.
• Must have at least 1 caliber of stability (RockSim Based) when loaded with your selected motor(s)
• Materials with bugs will be pointed out to participants for correction. Below are two known ones:
  • "1.3 oz. Ripstop Nylon (SkyAngle)" Streamer that weighs 0.103 ounces
  • Fins made from "G10 (PML 0.062"")" set to 0.125" thick that weigh 0.000 oz.
• Appearance:
  • Select the rocket part colors that your would like to see posted. If you want, you may use the "decal" feature of RockSim 7.04 to display artwork on your rocket. (see here - PDF)

Contest Events:

• Your rocket will participate in four events and will accumulate a total score. All events will use a 72" launch tower and your choice of motor configuration. For each event, you must also choose a launch angle, no more than +(with wind)/-(into wind) 20 degrees.
  1. Single-Stage Mach-Buster: (See Results) This event is all about speed and sleek design! A combined score will be awarded for not only top speed, but also maximum efficiency, i.e. maximum speed/ total impulse. Entries must break Mach 1 to qualify. For purposes of this contest, 1117.1 ft./sec. (761.7 mph) will be considered Mach 1. NOTE: For this event, you will use only the Top (sustainer) of your 3-stage rocket
  2. Two Stage - Lowest Altitude & Slowest at Ejection: (See Results) This event will offer a combined score for the lowest altitude and the slowest speed at ejection. The rocket must reach an safe altitude of at least 50' before deploying it's recovery device. NOTE: For this event, you will use only the top two stages of your 3-stage rocket; Top (sustainer) and Middle (2nd stage)
  3. Three Stage - Maximum Altitude & Speed: This event will offer a combined score for the highest and fastest flight. Make it fly fast and high! Entries must break Mach 1 to qualify
  4. Three Stage - Drag Race: (See Results) This event combines three sub-events: fastest out of the tower, longest time to landing, closest to the pad. This event is a tricky balancing act whle remaining "in bounds"!
  5. People's Choice: (See Results) The ever-popular beauty contest! Make your design sleek and sexy! Use the virtual "decal" feature to make your design even spiffier!
• Flight Conditions:
  • Your rocket will fly in RockSim 7 default conditions except as noted below.
  • Simulation Method: Use the Rocksim equation in simulations
  • Wind Conditions: Calm (0-2 mph)
  • Wind Turbulence: Fairly Constant Speed (0.01)
  • Cloud Coverage: No Thermals
  • Launch Guide Length: 72 inches
  • Misfires: None
• DQ Conditions
  • Field Size: 10,000 ft. radius to land "in bounds" (see contest settings)
  • Maximum Landing Speed: < 25 feet/sec
• DQ Results
  • No results for just that event (you will get 1 point in the placement score)
  • Lost rocket is only lost for that event

* NOTE: All "contest" settings and entries will not be disclosed until all entries are in!

• Submission Checklist
  • RockSim RKT file
  • Rocket Name
  • Motor and rod angle selections for Events below:
    (Launch angle limited to +/- 20 degrees. Be sure to give the proper "plus" or "minus" sign indication. If no sign is specified, we will assume you wanted "minus", into the wind.)

PRIZE TABLE:

Apogee Components	(1) Complete RockSim 8.0 Software Package/Upgrade
Art Applewhite Rockets	Any Style of [Anti-Mach] Flying Saucer kit of your choice of design up to a 29mm motor mount.
Cycline3 Rocketry	(1) XROC Prototype Rocket Kit
DG & A	(1) Mini-Sonik Blast Kit
EMRR	(1) Estes Hi-Flier, (1) Semroc Swift, (1) Flistkits Over Drive
Rocketman Enterprises	(1) Machfever Kit
U.S. Rockets	(1) MiniRoc 1.2 Kit
U.S. Rockets	(1) Fire Forget kit

Final Results:

GREEN Box shows winner of each event
(x) shows aggregate top 3 places after each event

ROCKETEER	NAME OF ROCKET	FILE	BONUSES BB  NB  EBB			FINAL STANDING
#9 - Nick Esselman	Tail-Slider			1.6	0.2	1
Not a bad entry for a newbie...sort of. Nick's unusual tail sliding design gives this rocket a huge amount of versitility. His graphics and details are amazing! Look for the logos on the motor tubes!
#5 - Chan Stevens	Wotan's Wrath				0.5	2
Chan's obsessive goal: unseat the herald of Zeus! Will his unusual blunt and stubby rocket be able to do it? Chan created the fastest sustainer in the contest while still staying reasonably efficient!
#11 - Bob Cox	The Throbbing Python of Zeus					3
Will Bob's last minute entry have what it takes to fend off the competition? And to give hope to all of the Rocksim hopefuls out there...even Bob's entry had the need for a revision the first time he submitted it!
#4 - Claude Paquin	Big Bad Bumble Bee				0.6	4
This rocket sure lives up to it's name! What a big, bad booster! Claude said he had a great time designing his entry!
#10 - Bruce Levison	SonicBoomer					5
Bruce once again proves that he is in the elite of Rocksim artisans! Funny graphics and a boom tail design catapult his design to the forefront!
#6 - Jeff Lane	Mach Madness		2.0	1.6	0.5	6
Jeff's model brings a new definition to efficiency! He was able to break mach on a 13mm C motor! Not only that, but he designed a rocket that could reasonably be built and flown! (and he did)
#12 - Dave Austerberry	Astrocat					7
Dave isn't the new kid on the block who won the virtual football lofting contest anymore. Will his experience allow him to fly past the competition at the speed of sound or is it the fact that he crammed more impulse up the tailpipe of his rocket than anyone else in the contest?
#2 - Steve Naquin	Stinger			0.5	0.8	8
Steve compared his entry to "a flying waterheater" and you gotta admit, it does look something like it! Will Steve's use of larger diameter motors and higher impulse be the key to winning?
#3 - "Doc" Damerau	Ana Cana Puna				0.7	9
Who doesn't love tube fins? Doc is planning on building this one and using the tube fins as additional motor tubes!
#8 - John Bonnett	Mach Noodle			0.5	0.3	10
John gets the award for the most tenacious contestant. After a few false starts, the Mach Noodle launches forth at the speed of pasta!
#1 - Eric Maglio	EX-Velocity RockSIM Demo Entry			0.5	0.9	11
Wow! Eric got his entry in faster than the speed of sound! And a demo entry to boot! Eric's entry has snazzy graphics and good performance in contest two.
#7 - Tim Zibrat	Chunga's Revenge			1.6	0.4	12
Look out for Chunga! This unusual semi-transparent rocket performed well in contest 2, but was somewhat underpowered for events 3 and 4. But will the beauty contest allow this entries sheer good looks to be seen?

Single-Stage Mach-Buster: This event is all about speed and sleek design! A combined score will be awarded for not only top speed, but also maximum efficiency, i.e. maximum speed/ total impulse. Entries must break Mach 1 to qualify. For purposes of this contest, 1117.1 ft./sec. (761.7 mph) will be considered Mach 1. NOTE: For this event, you will use only the Top (sustainer) of your 3-stage rocket

Stevens uses an H55 to master top speed, Mach 3.45, but with that size of motor, his efficiency was middle of the pack. Lane used just peaked over Mach 1 with a C6 demonstrating best efficiency, but who was really going for Mach 1. Cox and Bonnett took a similar approach as Lane, just popping over Mach 1 with very high efficiencies. Cox was able to pull into 3rd place, after Stevens/Esselman tie, and Levison. Esselman (who's that newbie) went for a balanced outcome and achieved it with decent Mach (2.2) and decent efficiency to tie for first place in the event with Stevens. With the new-comer bonus points, Esselman would edge past Stevens. Levison appears to have taken the same approach as Esselman using that ol' F72 motor. That put him in 2nd after the Stevens/Esselman tie.

Two Stage - Lowest Altitude & Slowest at Ejection: This event will offer a combined score for the lowest altitude and the slowest speed at ejection. The rocket must reach an safe altitude of at least 50' before deploying it's recovery device. NOTE: For this event, you will use only the top two stages of your 3-stage rocket; Top (sustainer) and Middle (2nd stage)

Bonnett takes the task on with the lowest altitude of 53 feet, had he tweaked his rod angle might have improved his ejection speed. Cox had the slowest ejection at 0.06 f/s! Zibrat made an excellent showing in this event, but it was Paqiun who took the top slot after placing 2nd in both events.

Three Stage - Maximum Altitude & Speed: This event will offer a combined score for the highest and fastest flight. Make it fly fast and high! Entries must break Mach 1 to qualify

Austerberry was the last entry in and he obviously spent all his time focusing on this one event. His command was solid and there really was no one else close!

Three Stage - Drag Race: This event combines three sub-events: fastest out of the tower, longest time to landing, closest to the pad. This event is a tricky balancing act whle remaining "in bounds"!

People's Choice: The ever-popular beauty contest! Make your design sleek and sexy! Use the virtual "decal" feature to make your design even spiffier!

QA

• If we submit a design and it doesn't qualify for some reason, are we allowed to rework the design and resubmit or even submit a new design?
  • Yes, either, both...we will review them and let you know.
• How are Contest Points scored?
  • Each of the events have a "placement score" described. That placement score will then be reversed ranked by the total number of entries. This will give the maximum number of points to the winner in the event. For example, if there are (4) entries and in contest #2 (maximum altitude) and entry #1 gets 800 feet, #2 810 feet, #3 750 feet and #4 950 feet. Then the scores will be 2 points for #3, 3 points for #1, 1 point for #2 and 4 points for #4.
• You say materials must be those listed in RockSim ... can I build/design any part using those materials?
  • Yes, you may, except the body tubes which must come from the database. Other parts: this does not imply that you have to take the part from the database.
• Aren't the RockSim 5 and 6 users going to be upset about not being able to use the RockSim 7 variations? How about using the other software?
  • The point here is that everyone can compete. Their submissions will be converted to RS 7 for the competitions. They will miss out on some testing and the asymmetrical fin capability, but like in life, some compete with better training facilities than others... doesn't mean better facilities make for winners.
• Drag coefficient: Should we use the default Cd (0.75 for sustainer, 0.78 and 0.80 for boosters), or should we calculate Cd at simulation time?
  • Calculate at Simulation Time. Also, it will be set to "Use the Rocksim Simulation equation in simulations".
• I didn’t see anything about dual deployment (i.e. drogue chute and main chute). Is that allowed?
  • No, you must use the "Deploy at engine ejection" option

The winners agree to write a kit review using the format guidelines included in EMRR's site. Previous winners are eligible for future Rocket Give-Away. EMRR assumes no responsibility for the kit once it leaves our location. EMRR is not liable for any damages or injury caused by the assembly or use of the kit.