Space Grant Consortium - University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

Conclusion:
The components for the rocket were selected in order to achieve a stable, high strength,
and low weight design. Phenolic tubing was selected for the airframe to deliver a proper
combination of high strength and low weight. Three clipped delta fiberglass fins were placed on
the booster and the dart. The geometry of the fins was carefully selected to reduce excess drag
on the rocket while maintaining a stable flight with the center of pressure below the center of
gravity. Also, the dart is equipped with an ogive shaped nose cone on top and a boat tail on the
bottom. They contribute to a streamlined design that reduces flow separation and drag during the
rocket’s flight. The transition from the dart to the booster was achieved be placing the boat tail
of in the dart into the boat tail of the booster. The dart was held in place by a centering ring in
the booster’s boat tail. The results of the competition were well favored by the Rocky Mountain
Miners. A successful flight resulted in a third place outcome in the overall competition with a
maximum altitude of 2988 ft. The knowledge gained from this experience will be useful for the
team when competing in the 2009-2010 WSGC rocket competition.
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