Well, I've made at least some progress over the winter break now, I have started priming the nosecone today



This pic shows how really big this rocket is compared to any other rocket I've done. ya, I could ahve went with a smaller rocket for level 1 certification but, I wanted to have a rocket that wouldserve as both level 1 and level 2 as well as something slow and low. The slower you go, the lower you go, the better chance of surviving a chuteless decent.....

and yes, this is in the bathroom, I had nowhere else to hang it to let it properly dry after painting. It's warm outside today(40's) but, not warm enough to let it cure outside...at least it's not a server and not actually "in" the bathtub....

Level 1 Cert

Well, Motor retention is all set up, there's no way this baby's gonna come off. I didn’t' use JB Weld as others have suggested but, I used my 3 hour epoxy. I'm not worried about it really, I have used it before to bond other things that I couldn't separate with a hammer so, I believe it will hold...

anyway, still waiting on the motor casing and nomex chute protected from Red Arrow, they seem to be kind of slow and don't communicate very much if at all so, I'm not sure I'll deal much with them in the future if I can help it...

Well, hopefully someday the snow will be gone along with the wind but, until then, I'll keep building...

Level 1 Cert

Well, I got my motor retention from giant leap. Not much to it really but, it's a great little piece to have for a rocket you kow you'll be flying a lot. They are kind of pricey but, it could mean the difference of having your motor casing returned safely in your rocket or loosing $100 minimum....

Level 1 Cert

Well, still waiting on motor retenttion from Giant Leap, I really did expect it by today but, perhaps monday. Bought some bright yellow paint and some white primer from Walmart and ordered my motor casing and a nomex parachute protector from Red Arrow hobbies, we'll see how long it takes. I gues one of the biggest things for me is how fast a vendor can get your order shipped out. I would have ordered this stuff from BRS but, they dont' carry it. They have always been the fastest and had the best customer service I've come across so far. Giant Leap did send me an email stating they charged too much for shipping initially so gave me an extra $5 bucks off. Most other companies wouldn't have bothered...anyway, here I am waiting for parts even though I know I probably won't be able to attempt my level 1 cert until April but most likely May or June.....

i did it

After prodding from the annointed one last night I decided to get a domain name. www.northernaerospace.com I was truly surprised it wasn't taken. Perhaps someday I'll be running a business with it instead of a blog, you never know....

Aerogel

I soooooo wnat a piece of Aerogel

I'm not even sure exactly what I would do with it but, I would find a use, somehow, somewhere in a rockets perhaps.......

IROC Pics

Here it is, just about done. Just needs the motor retainer put on and some launch lugs after it gets painted.


My motor retention is on the way from Giant Leap, they actually sent me an email telling me they cahrged too much for shipping so they geave me five bucks back..no shit!

PICS

here's some more pics of the build....

PICS

Added some pics to flickr tonight, here are the pics of NAE_24_PS and MAE_24_01 as well as some IROC pics...
iroc


nosecone


booster


mean mach

NAE_24_PS and NAE_24_01

Northern Aerospace Experimental, 24mm_Parellel Staged
Northern Aerospace Experimental, 24mm, #01

OK, I've started my parallel staged rocket from frakensteining my Estes Mean Machine and Estes Executioner along with a few parts from BRS Hobbies. So far I have one of the boosters mostly done. I still have to build the attachment spars but, that will come after some more glue drying.

In the meantime, it seems that I now have a modified mean machine left over that's a bit shorter.....


pics to follow