TOMACH - SEVENTH FLIGHT

Just selecting this rocket already for the next SRA Launch. Wanna get some altitude and hopefully my RTX will arrive on time.

Update 08/22/2020 Today I loaded the motor in the casing, used grease and two O-rings on aft and froe closure. The dipped ignitor has lost most of the dip, will try to fix that later. All will be packed really tight !!!

Update 09/09/2020 - Today I prepped the upper bay with chute and protector, made 2 Z-ties. filled it up with dog-barf. Installed3 sheer pins in the nose cone section.

Update 09/13/2020 - Prepped some more today, Made all the charges. 1.8 and 2.0 grams. Made 2 * Z-ties in booster. When the streamer is in de booster it feel very tight and no space for camera and other stuff like RTX... Might replace the streamer with a small parachute to accommodate the RTX and camera. Will find out when the weather gets better on Friday, Right now it looks very very iffy for Saturday !

Update 09/15/2020 - RTX from missile works came in today, tested and all working great, Thanks Jim ! Weather still looks iffy for Saturday !!!!

Update 09/16/2020 - Still thinking about NOT going, Weather seems to improve but shows cloud base only 3000 feet !!!! That a no no for my launch, will watch the forecast tomorrow and see what happens. Prepped the booster, small drogue chute, z-ties and more dog barf for now, also installed the charges.

Update 09/18/2020 - Weather seems to improve, rain in the very late afternoon, so its a GO for me. Loaded all my stuff in the car. All fits nicely this time, just a smaller rocket to fly (3")... also shaved the igniter a bit so it fits in side the motor. All good to go.

Update 09/19/2020 - LAUNCH DAY - Day started with rain when we left the house, but around Daytona it cleared out real fast and nice bright skies started to show, almost cloudless. Found a nice spot to part safely. Morning started very slow, no launches yet when I arrived around 10:30 AM. Started prepping. Had the drogue already in the booster (no streamer this time - to tight).... Even with the drogue / RTX / GoPro camera and Whistle it was real tight packed !!!! Had to use force to connect the two parts together until it closes up (still a little gab visible). All electronics were on this time, Camera, RTX and Whistle. Had a hard time getting a GPS fix with the RTX. Had to open the rocket again at the RSO to double check. and yes GPS signal acquired!...Had no shear pins in the booster, velocity was to slow. The take off speed was simmed around 44 ft/sec. something but it seems that the rocket took off much faster than that. Real nice take-off boost and burn, nice motor. Rocket went straight up, into the clouds and was visible again when the main chute was already deployed. Again all was packet real real tight !!! Extremely tight !! Now the rocket came down nicely, took my car to follow the RTX coordinates and after a short walk in some high grass and mud I found it laying on a cull-du-sac road ! It must have come down a bit hard because the lower part showed a few very small cracks, which can repaired easily ! Also the nose cone is missing the metal part in front, It must have broken off on landing. Camera and phone were both still working and talking. Took some pictures and walked / drove back to enjoy the rest of that nice day. Driving home at around 3 PM - lots of non-stop rain all the way to home !!!! Have great video from Iphone and on board GoPro.

Update 09/22/2020 - Cleaned out the casing, quite dirty... Also sanded out the motor month, did got a from the landing, had a very hard time getting the casing out, Casing all good no damage. Sanding did help a lot, Casing slides in and out smooth now again.

Update 12/24/2020 - Ordered the nose cone tip from MadCow, its in the mail already.