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

Douglas Gardei has asked to come back to be our guest judge and creator of this Virtual Rocket Contest. Welcome back and thanks.

* All the pictures are real people, but are not the ones named (have some fun!)

Welcome to Rocket Camp! There will be no row boating, swimming lessons in the pond, nor will there be tying knots with vines or starting fires with sticks. Instead we will go through a rigorous session of building rockets and motors to meet the tasks or consolers have set before you! Do you think you got what it takes? Prove it at Rocket Camp!

This is the twelfth Virtual Rocket Contest, yet there are still new things to try! This round, motor selection is severely limited to Estes or Quest motors, however this contest makes use of Rocksim’s Engine Editor so you can make custom made motors for the last three events.

Another new angle this contest offers is the use of the 2D Flight Profiler in Event 4.

Contest Requirements:

• RockSim Owners: Entry must be (1) RKT files (any version)
• RockSim DEMO Entries: Entry must be from version 8 Demo
• Non-RockSim Entries: Entry must include all the details necessary to recreate the rocket in RockSim, which can then be tested in the RockSim version 8 Demo
• Name your Rocket
• Contestants may only have (1) entry per event
  • Submitted Entries can be changed up to the time of the deadline.
• Contestants must be on EMRR's eList to be eligible
• Build Bonus: Bonus points will be gained if you build, fly and produce pictures of the rocket with commercial motors:
  • +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 early entrants will receive bonus points, based on the time they submit a qualified design that does not change.
  • 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
• Bonus points are added to the final score.
• Entries must be received by 3/15/2006.
• Contest will take place from 3/19 - 3/25.

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.
  • There is no on how many airframe sizes you require.
  • Thinnest airframe can not be thinner than half the diameter of the widest airframe. (This does not apply to motor tubes).
  • There is no minimum length of combined tubes.
• Transitions:
  • All transitions must have realistic forward and aft shoulders where required.
  • Maximum length of a transition is 2.5x max diameter.
• Fins:
  • There must be at least 3 fins for stability.
  • Custom fins allowed but must meet fin rules.
  • Each fin must have a semi-span and a root length equal or
  • greater than half the diameter of the tube it is mounted to.
  • Additional sets of 2-8 fins are optional. These extra fins do not need to meet the location, semi-span, or root-length requirements. (microscopic fins can go here)
  • Fins cannot be any thinner than 1/32" for balsa (0.031") or 1/64" (0.016") for phenolic, bass, or plywood.
  • Tube fins and ring fins are allowed, but must have both their mass and drag accounted for.
• Payload Bay
  • Must be large enough to house the payload.
  • Recovery system can not be in the payload area.
  • Payload must stay in payload area during flight and recovery.
• Recovery:
  • Parachute or streamer recovery.
  • Parachute or Streamer must be at least 0.001" thick.
    • Maximum size, length: 24".
    • Maximum streamer width: 1"
    • Minimum size: Speed at landing must be less than 20 feet/sec.
  • You must include a realistic shock cord.
  • Dual Deployment and Electronics is NOT allowed.
  • Recovery activated by motor ejection
• Motor Configuration:
  • Only the following Estes or Quest motors are allowed for commercial motors.
    • 13mm 1/4A3-3T, 1/2A3-2,4T, A3-4T, A10-0,3T
    • 18mm 1/2A6-2, A8-3,5, B4-2,4,6, B6-0,2,4,6, C6-0,3,5,7
    • 24mm C11-0,3,5,7, D12-0,3,5,7 and E9-4,6,8
  • You must choose your motor for each event.
  • Clustered motors only allowed in events 4 and 5
  • Stageing occurs a burnout of the booster.
  • All motors contained in this file are valid. (engine_file_rocksim_certified_motors.zip).
  • Motor size may be one size smaller than the motor mount tube (i.e. 13 mm in 18 mm, 18 mm in 24 mm).
  • No manual modification of the .eng file for commercial motors.
  • Motor overhang will be the default 0.5 inches unless told otherwise.
  • No external motor pods
• Custom Motors:
  • Can only use the following sizes: 13x45mm, 18x70mm, 24x70mm, and 24x95mm.
  • Motor SizeTotal Impulse (newtons) Allowed Sizes
    • 1/4A 0.32 - 0.625 13x45mm
    • 1/2A 0.63-1.25 13x45mm, 18x70mm
    • A 1.26 - 2.5 13x45mm, 18x70mm
    • B 2.6 – 5.0 18x70mm
    • C 5.1 – 10.0 18x70mm, 24x70mm
    • D 10.1 - 20.0 24x70mm
    • E 20.1 - 30.0 (95mm limit) 24x95mm
  • Black Powder Motors Only
  • Limit of 10 datapoints on the thrust curve.
  • Propellant weight = total impulse in grams (ie a 10 n/s will have 10 grams of propellant)
  • Initial Mass = twice the total impulse in grams (ie a 10 n/s motor will weigh 20 grams)
  • Burn time can not be shorter than .1 seconds.
  • Custom motor must provide enough trust to provide safe velocity during entire burn.
  • Delay time must be set in engine file in increments of minimum 2 seconds apart.
  • Standard Propellant, delay, ejection config (delay not required for booster)
  • Can not have a built in burn pause
  • All custom made motors can be included on one .ENG file.
• Other:
  • Launch lugs are OPTIONAL. We will be flying from our trusty virtual 3-foot tower.
  • 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. Mass objects may not be located in the cargo area of the rocket.
  • Must have at least 1 caliber of stability (RockSim Based) when loaded with your selected motor(s)
  • Mass of Rocket must remain under 1 pound loaded with motors

Contest Events:

Your rockets will participate in five events and will accumulate a total score. All events will use a 3-foot (36") launch tower and your choice of motor configuration (different for each event). For each event, you must also choose a launch angle, no more than +/- 20 degrees.

• Flight Conditions (Unless otherwise specified)
  • Cloud Coverage: No Thermals.
  • Calm winds (0-2 mph), fairly constant speed (0.01).
• Launch Guide Length: 36 inches
• Misfires: None
• DQ Conditions:
  • Your landing speed is higher than 20 feet/sec.
  • Flying out of bounds in event 4 and 5.
  • Rocket does not have a safe velocity (slower than 50 ft/s) at the end of the launch rail.
  • Rocket does not reach minimum altitude of 150 feet.
• DQ Results:
  • No points just for that event.

Event 1 – "How to get the most out of what you have.": Design a rocket to go as high as possible with an Estes C6-7 motor. Please Submit RS file and Launch Condition settings DQ Conditions: Min Velocity and Altitude. Recovery Speed
Event 2 – "Camp Speedsters": Design a rocket to reach highest velocity possible using commercial motors. Multistage allowed for up to three stage. Must used approved motors. Please Submit RS file, list of motors, and other settings. DQ Conditions: Min Velocity and Altitude. Recovery Speed
Event 3 – "Rocket Motor Designer": You are issued a FlisKits Flea rocket kit which will be launched twice. You are to design two custom made motors to meet the following two requirements. First event you looking for maximum altitude. Second looking for Max velocity at burnout. Winner of this event will receive a special gift from FlisKits Inc. Must use this Flea file: Fliskit_Flea.rkt. Modifications of this file is not allowed. Please Submit ENG file and list of settings DQ Conditions: Min Velocity and Altitude. Recovery Speed.
Event 4 - "Spy on the Rivals": Design a rocket to loft a standard Astrocam camera to take a single forward view picture of a rival camp. Your target is 1,200 feet upwind from the launch site, and you want the nose of the rocket to be aimed at that point. The rocket will be launched in the middle of our campground, where the borders are located 500 feet either way. Failure of landing the camera back on our campground will result in a treed or captured rocket, which will result in a DQ. Failure to capture a picture of the target will result in a DQ. Highest score goes to the photo where the camera is closest line of sight to the target (hence giving the highest quality picture). Flightsim 2D Flight Profile and our Picture Result Calculator will be used to determine this. You can use custom motors or motors from the approved list. Clustering is allowed for this event. Must use this file for the Astrocam camera: Astrocam.rkt. Modifications to this file is not allowed. Field of view of the Astrocam is 30 degrees. Wind Conditions - Light (3-7 Mph). Please Submit RS file, motor selections, and launch settings Custom motors are allowed. DQ Conditions: Min Velocity and Altitude. Recovery Speed. Landing out of bounds. Failure of capturing picture. Note: Due to the fact that the 2D profiler may come up with different results than the initial sim, the sim results from the 2D profiler will be the official results.

Event 5 - "Marshmallow Roast": Design a rocket to launch a standard marshmallow and land it as close to the campfire as possible without landing in it! Our campfire is located 300 (+-2) feet downwind from the launch site. Do not overshoot the field (remember the border is 500 ft from the launch site). Marshmallow is 10 grams and is 1.125" long and 1.25" in diameter and must be enclosed in a payload area during the entire flight and recovery.

• Clustering is allowed.
• Your Choice of motors can be used.
• Custom made motors are allowed.
• Wind Conditions - Light (3-7 mph).
• Please Submit RS file, motor selections, and launch settings
• DQ Conditions:
  • Min Velocity and Altitude.
  • Recovery Speed.
  • Landing out of bounds.
  • Landing in the campfire.

Submission Checklist

• RockSim RKT files for each event
• RockSim ENG files for custom motors
• If "Decals" are used:
  • Screen Shot image of each design
  • Image files of rockets with decals
• Rocket Names.
• Motor and rod angle selections for the events
• Launch angle limited to +/- 20 degrees.
• Be sure to give the proper "plus" or "minus" sign indication.
• - degree is launching a rocket upwind
• + degree is launching a rocket downwind
• Please put in Subject of all e-mails "VRC-12 Entry – Your Name"

SUBMIT to DOUGLAS GARDEI HERE:

PRIZE TABLE^*:

Art Applewhite Rockets	Any Style of Flying Saucer kit of your choice of design up to a 29mm motor mount.
SpaceCAD	(1) SpaceCAD Registration License
BoRocks! Rocketry	(1) X-Factor Rocket
Anonymous Guest	(1) Semroc SLS Hustler
Anonymous Guest	(1) Sunward Liberator
Anonymous Guest	(1) Sunward SU47
Apogee Components	(1) copy of SMARTSim: a RockSim add-on software that allows you to run multiple RockSim simulations automatically to zero-in on an optimized result. (betcha wish you had this right now!)
BRS Hobbies	(1) RHR 2003 Rocket Kit

Let the Games Begin!

Newbies should click here.

ROCKETEER	NAME OF ROCKET	FILE	BONUSES BB  EEB  NB			Placed
#7 - Bruce Levison			0.0	0.3	0.0	1
Event #1 (click to enlarge) Event #2 (click to enlarge) Event #4 (click to enlarge) Event #5 (click to enlarge)
#1 - Todd Mullin			0.0	0.9	0.0	2
Event #1 (click to enlarge) Event #2 (click to enlarge) Event #4 (click to enlarge) Event #5 (click to enlarge)
#4 - Andy Peart			0.0	0.6	0.0	3
Event #1 (click to enlarge) Event #2 (click to enlarge) Event #4 (click to enlarge) Event #5 (click to enlarge)
#6 - Ben Levison			0.0	0.4	0.5	4
Event #1 (click to enlarge) Event #2 (click to enlarge) Event #4 (click to enlarge) Event #5 (click to enlarge)
#8 - Jacob Gold			0.0	0.2	1.6	5
Event #1 (click to enlarge) Event #2 (click to enlarge) Event #4 (click to enlarge) Event #5 (click to enlarge)
#3 - Chris Halinaty			0.0	0.7	1.6	6
Event #1 (click to enlarge) Event #2 (click to enlarge) Event #4 (click to enlarge) Event #5 (click to enlarge)
#2 - Ron Wirth			0.0	0.8	1.6	7
Event #1 (click to enlarge) Event #2 (click to enlarge) Event #4 (click to enlarge) Event #5 (click to enlarge)
#9 - Roger Farris			0.0	0.1	1.6	8
Event #1 (click to enlarge) Event #2 (click to enlarge) Event #4 (click to enlarge) Event #5 (click to enlarge)
#5 - Roy Lappalainen			0.0	0.5	1.6	9
Event #1 (click to enlarge) Event #2 (click to enlarge) Event #4 (click to enlarge) Event #5 (click to enlarge)
#10 - David Hoffmeier			0.0	0.0	1.6	10
Event #1 (click to enlarge) Event #2 (click to enlarge) Event #4 (click to enlarge) Event #5 (click to enlarge)

Rocket Camp
Final Standings

Bruce Levison really did his homework. He placed first place in the second event, and got second place in Event 3 and 5. This earned him 31 points which easily placed him in first place. There was a tie for second place. Todd Mullin and Andy Peart both scored 28 points, bit since Todd was the first to submit an entry, he got the higher early-bird bonus. This put him in second and Andy in third. Interesting note is the top three players were the only veteran players that entered! This was Ben Levison's second VRC, and he placed 4th. Only the first time flyers got fifth through tenth place. I hope this does not deter them from future VRC's. They now have some experience under their belts, and they know what to expect :)

EVENT #1 :

"How to get the most out of what you have.": Design a rocket to go as high as possible with an Estes C6-7 motor.

EVENT #1 - (click here)

EVENT #2 :

"Camp Speedsters": Design a rocket to reach highest velocity possible using commercial motors. Multistage allowed for up to three stage. Must used approved motors.

EVENT #2 - (click here)

Event #3 :

"Rocket Motor Designer": You are issued a FlisKits Flea rocket kit which will be launched twice. You are to design two custom made motors to meet the following two requirements. First event you looking for maximum altitude. Second looking for Max velocity at burnout. Winner of this event will receive a special gift from FlisKits Inc.

Event #3 - (click here)

EVENT #4 :

"Spy on the Rivals": Design a rocket to loft a standard Astrocam camera to take a single forward view picture of a rival camp. Your target is 1,200 feet upwind from the launch site, and you want the nose of the rocket to be aimed at that point. The rocket will be launched in the middle of our campground, where the borders are located 500 feet either way. Failure of landing the camera back on our campground will result in a treed or captured rocket, which will result in a DQ. Failure to capture a picture of the target will result in a DQ. Highest score goes to the photo where the camera is closest line of sight to the target (hence giving the highest quality picture). Flightsim 2D Flight Profile and our Picture Result Calculator will be used to determine this.

EVENT #4 - (click here)

EVENT #5 :

"Marshmallow Roast": Design a rocket to launch a standard marshmallow and land it as close to the campfire as possible without landing in it! Our campfire is located 300 (+-2) feet downwind from the launch site. Do not overshoot the field (remember the border is 500 ft from the launch site). Marshmallow is 10 grams and is 1.125" long and 1.25" in diameter and must be enclosed in a payload area during the entire flight and recovery.

EVENT #5 - (click here)

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.

• What is the measure for the one caliber rocket stability requirement Barrowman or Rocksim?
  • RockSim.

• How are Contest Points scored?
  • An event "placement score" is determined based on your rank. First place gets 10 points, second place 7 points, third place 5 points, fourth place 4 points, fifth place 3 points, sixth place 2 points, seventh place and below get 1 flight point. If you DQ due to excessive landing speed your score would be zero (must be a qualified flight to score).
  • Your overall ranking will be based on your total score for the four events.

• Aren't the RockSim 8 and less going to be upset about not being able to use the latest RockSim variations?
  • No, RockSim 8.0 Demo is now available at Apogee

• How about using the other software?
  • Okay. What do you have? We will need to build up your model in RockSim 8.0 to participate.

• 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".

* The actual number of prizes issued will not except 3/4ths of the number of contest entries (e.g. if there are 10 prizes and only 10 entries, only 7 prizes will be issued). EMRR assumes no responsibility for the prize once it leaves our or the prize donor's location. EMRR is not liable for any damages or injury caused by the assembly or use of the prize.