Hello everybody ! This website is dedicated to amateur experimental rocketry; this designates the activity of designing, building, testing, and finally flying amateur rockets. I surely havevn't built the most powerful or sophisticated rockets out there, but I hope you'll find my work interesting nevertheless. It focuses on two main areas: hydrogen peroxide propulsion, and rocket active control. These subjects are quite uncommon among amateurs (but yet tremendously interesting !), so I'll try to share the maximum of documentation to help other amateur development of these subjects.
Amateur motor example: R. Watzlavick's LOX/kerosene regeneratively cooled motor static test ->
News and updates
August 15, 2007:
I did 3 new tests of my flanged motor. I tested different ignition enhancement methods. Tests 10 and 11 revealed that my first loadcell had a problem; see discussion here. I thus built a new one. After that, test 12 went perfectly ! I also put a summary of the regression rates I got during my best tests. I guess it could be of great interest for anyone working with the same kind of hybrids.July 2, 2007:
Big update: during the last two months I found some time between my exams to build a new test stand, with a home-made loadcell, and a new electro-actuated valve. I also made some changes to my data acquisition module, I built a "flanged" motor, and I successfully fired it. All the details are on the different pages.April 14, 2007:
Test08 of the 100 N hybrid was performed yesterday, and it went really well ! The thrust and the chamber pressure were very near those predicted, and the new steel nozzle held fine. Details are on the specific page.March 28, 2007:
My new motor has been tested at last ! I made two tests this month, test06 and test07, but only the second one was interesting, since the motor didn't lit during test 06. All details are on the specific page. I also added a nice video of a cold flow test of the injector used in that motor.November 18, 2006:
Yet a lot of new things ! I built a robust servo-actuated valve, a compact pyro-actuated valve, some home made atomizers, a thrust measurement on the test stand and a autonomous data acquisition module. I changed the structure of the website a bit, there's now a page for each component (test stand, tank, valves, etc.). Check it out on the peroxide propulsion page.August 15, 2006:
A lot of new things in the peroxide motor #2 page. I've built and tested the aluminium tank, I've had some problems with distorted countersunk holes and with scratched O-rings, but it's fixed now. Nearly everything is ready for a motor test now.July 17, 2006:
I updated the documentation of the peroxide motor #2. I've built some parts (check valve, actuated valve, CO2 cylinder adaptater). That isn't much for 2 months, but I was busy with my exams, and I spent a lot of time on reviewing calculations of the motor itself, I also made a spreadsheet for that, it's avalaible on that same page. I'm currently waiting for aluminium tube, then I'll machine the different parts of the tank.
Warning !
All liability waived ! Rocketry is an inherently dangerous undertaking, especially experimental rocketry. I will not be responsible for any misuse or misunderstood information use in these pages that results in personal injury or property damage. Safety and the wellness of others should be your first and most important concern. Please make your choices and take personal responsibility for the outcome of your experiment. Protect your privilege to fly rockets by not making the headlines or becoming a statistic.