Space Grant Consortium - University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

Electronics/ electronics storage
The altimeter used in the dart was a PML
AccuFire Staging timer. This altimeter and
the altimeter used to record flight data were
secured to a plexiglass sheet via zip-ties, and
this was slid into the electronics storage bay.
This was made out of plastic. This material
provides a stronger airframe section than the
phenolic tubing. A stronger electronics bay
was necessary to protect the fragile
altimeters. The electronic bay was capped
on both ends by bulk plates, and the bulk
plates were held to the electronic bay tube
by threaded rods that ran the full length of
the bay.
Center of pressure/ center of gravity
The locations for the center of gravity and the center of pressure were determined. The CP and
CG for the booster and dart together were determined for the thrust portion of the flight. The CP
and CG of the dart by itself was determined for the dart’s solo flight. It was necessary to have a
CP lower than the CG in order for the rocket to have a vertically straight and stable flight.
Distance to CG = 30.5 in.
Distance to CP = 20.9 in.
Results
Figure
and
4: Location
Findings:
of the CP and CG
for the Booster and Dart Together
34
I-bolt to secure
parachute webbing
Figure 3: Electronics Bay
Threaded rods to
secure bulk plate
to the top of the
electronics
storage bay
Distance to CG = 23.5 in.
Distance to CP = 7.8 in.
Figure 5: Location of the CP and CG
for the Dart