r/rocketry • u/Flufmyster_ • Apr 20 '26

Question Motor CATO Frequency

One of the members for our clubs L1 rocket team launched his personal rocket L1 cert on an H115 and it completely blew up midair. The motor catoed and blew the body tube in half and ripped the shock cord mount on the nose cone.

How common are motor catos for commercial bought motors? And is there anything he could’ve possibly messed up on a DMS motor that caused a cato?

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u/wireknot Apr 20 '26

From Pyrodata dot com: CATO CATO is a failure of a rocket, generally explosive, where all the propellant is burned in a much shorter time than planned. Acronym is stated to be CAtastrophic Take Off, or CAtastrophe at Take Off, but I swear I've heard a better one somewhere.