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This project was inspired 40 years ago when I got a GI Joe Mercury Capsule for my birthday. I always imagined it flying (even orbiting) and it kept me out of my parent's hair for days on end. Fast-forward to the mid 90s when the GI Joe Capsules are re-issued by Toys-R-Us -- naturally I picked up one (well 3). After the popularity and success of the Gumby flights I simply had to look to the shelf above my workstation to be inspired for my next big project. When I found a tube that was 9.25" (the exact diameter of the Capsule base), this project was set into motion.
A LOT of this project was engineered on the fly and by no means reflects the best way to approach the tasks described. It's just how I did it and you're welcome to make changes any way that suit your engineering skills.
I offer this in hope that this 'instructable' will inspire others to build and fly similar projects.
A LOT of this project was engineered on the fly and by no means reflects the best way to approach the tasks described. It's just how I did it and you're welcome to make changes any way that suit your engineering skills.
I offer this in hope that this 'instructable' will inspire others to build and fly similar projects.
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Signing UpStep 1Preamble
To send a full GI Joe capsule aloft (with Astronaut), have the capsule free-fall and deploy its recovery system safely. The entire flight will be recorded by three (to 5) different on-board video systems.
This ISN'T a scale project; the "Mercury Booster" is a little thicker than the real thing. The "Mercury" capsule is built from the GI Joe unit, is under scale as well.
The big challenge of this project is to perfect a system that allows the capsule to free-fall to a safe altitude before deploying its parachutes. Technically this is no more than a dual deployment flight, but the added complication of extracting the tower so the capsule can free-fall is anything but simple.
At apogee the capsule (with tower) will decouple from the booster.
The capsule has a deployment bag attached to the heat shield which will pull out the pilot chute for the booster.
The decoupling activates an ejection charge timer inside the tower, allowing for the capsule and tower to drift away from the booster which will be unfurling its main chute.
Once the tower charge has fired and its chute has inflated, the weight of the capsule causes it to fall free off the tower base.
The capsule free-falls to about 1500' before deploying a pilot and main chute combination.
With all going to plan, video of the flight is captured from the booster, looking up and down, the Tower, looking down and the capsule, both interior and an additional view down.
This ISN'T a scale project; the "Mercury Booster" is a little thicker than the real thing. The "Mercury" capsule is built from the GI Joe unit, is under scale as well.
The big challenge of this project is to perfect a system that allows the capsule to free-fall to a safe altitude before deploying its parachutes. Technically this is no more than a dual deployment flight, but the added complication of extracting the tower so the capsule can free-fall is anything but simple.
At apogee the capsule (with tower) will decouple from the booster.
The capsule has a deployment bag attached to the heat shield which will pull out the pilot chute for the booster.
The decoupling activates an ejection charge timer inside the tower, allowing for the capsule and tower to drift away from the booster which will be unfurling its main chute.
Once the tower charge has fired and its chute has inflated, the weight of the capsule causes it to fall free off the tower base.
The capsule free-falls to about 1500' before deploying a pilot and main chute combination.
With all going to plan, video of the flight is captured from the booster, looking up and down, the Tower, looking down and the capsule, both interior and an additional view down.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqhvKsFGTtk
Can I be the first to say "SPAAAAAAAAAAAAAACE!!!!"
[Portal 2] :-)
I finished that game in less time than I would like to admit.
Taking Shobley's idea a bit further though...it would be fun to mix the personality core screeching 'SPAAAAAAACE' to go off at time of launch *grin*. I might have to look into doing something like this and adding it in.
Great rocket and ible by the way... I have always liked scaled rockets.
I really appreciate the detail you put into that... shows off the sport very well... and the video was outstanding!
Jerry
TRA 5787
I was approached to make this a kit but that was a while ago and nothing came of it. However, there ARE large Mercury Redstone rocket kits out there.
I'll see if I can't collect a few links and post them to the last page.
I keep meaning to fly it as a cluster, I gave myself that option, but between the additional cost and complexity, I've not done it (yet).
I see now that the message has been deleted "(removed by author or community request)" - but I didn't delete it.
I wonder if the 'flag[delete]' option, that shows up for regular messages isn't showing up in Chrome for the root message.
Interesting - anyway thanks for the reply!
You're quite right (below) that the current UI makes it really non-obvious that "flag" is separate from "Feature".
You should be able to see a flag button on most comments (see picture) - if you can't, that may be a Chrome issue. Lithium Rain says that the non-google version ("Chromium") is better.
The UI designers should make Flag a button like Reply.
Thanks.
Would like to know more on your payload recovery methods? (tracking, logging, line-of-sight, other?)
The 2500' altitude offers the crowd the best view of everything going on where the mile high one is the most exciting to get off the pad.
Glad you liked it!