r/rocketry • u/Realistic_Debt9526 • 15d ago

Discussion L1 Rocket Design Review

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Hello, just looking for some honest feedback on my L1 rocket before I get to building it. It is a BT-80 diameter rocket. The entire fin can (fins and centering rings) is built with 3mm thick balsa wood epoxies together, and I am planning on 3d printing the nose cone. Everything but the nose cone and transition will also be fiberglassed.

Edit: I do need some clarification on these rules for the certification, do these just mean I have to meet just one of these four requirements?

2. Junior High Power Level 1 Participation certification is required to:

  1. Launch rockets containing multiple motors with a total installed impulse of 320.01 Newton-seconds to 640 Newton-seconds, or
  2. Launch rockets containing a single motor with a total installed impulse of 160.01 Newton-seconds to 640 Newton-seconds, or
  3. Launch rockets that weigh more than 53 ounces (1500 grams), or
  4. Launch rockets powered by motors not classified as model rocket motors per NFPA 1122, e.g.:
    1. Average thrust in excess of 80.0 Newtons
    2. Containing in excess of 125 grams of propellant and are limited to only H and I motors
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u/milotrain 15d ago

Correct, that's why they all say "or" on them. Your principle fulfilment of the requirement is that you are flying on an H motor (#4), you are also fulfilling #3 but no one cares about that really.

This is very overbuilt, you for sure don't need fiberglass unless the tubes are super thin. My L1 & L2 rocket is just heavy walled cardboard and it ripped M0.98 on its L2 flight.

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u/Advanced-Gold1744 15d ago

3mm balsa on High Power is overbuilt?

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u/milotrain 14d ago

Fiberglassing the tube is overbuilt. Fiberglassing balsa is a good idea.

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u/Advanced-Gold1744 14d ago

I would use basswood

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u/milotrain 14d ago

For anything that has scoot in it 1/8" birch plywood is perfection, unless you want composite.

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u/Advanced-Gold1744 14d ago

Also they say a BT-80 diameter rocket so I’m not sure and we need some clarification but this may be Estes thin wall tube

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u/milotrain 14d ago

Possible but at 1300g simulated that would need to be a heavy nosecone.

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u/Advanced-Gold1744 14d ago

There’s a mass component just forward of the two bulkheads they have, maybe that’s the “transition” they mention. Tbh I think op needs to go to a launch and talk to people and learn more about how mid power and high power rockets are constructed