https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yED582QqiEc

Since driving back from a rocket launch at the end of my freshman year, I’ve had in the back of my mind ideas for a rocket in the shape of Hoover Tower. In fact, the original model was made while in the car on the 7-hour drive back from the launch. I wanted the rocket to be big, challenging me to optimize the manufacturability. In the final design, the addition of 0.4mm wall thickness would have added about 20 print hours.

I also wanted to use this as an opportunity to challenge my project management skills. Model rocketry is interesting to me because you have very rigid deadlines, which most of my personal projects lack. I knew if I wanted to be successful I couldn’t just have the rocket ready to fly by then, but it would need to be rigorously tested and with the launch preparation to ensure a smooth and reliable setup on the launch pad. Most rocketry projects neglect this, timelines slip and the things that get cut are those most vital to launch.

The first course of action was fixing the large 3D printer. It was the only viable way of printing the rocket size I needed, as the Prusas couldn’t print the 400mm square base. I improved the firmware with mesh bed leveling, designed a better mount for the z probe, tested ways to improve bed adhesion, calibrated print speeds, and made a homemade filament runout sensor. The project slowed without a launch to target, but in mid-May, about a week before a launch, I was invited to participate. I had two sections of the Hoover Tower printed and made the remaining three parts back to back with an intense 100-hour near-continuous print. Two days before the launch I had a successful deployment check, and the day before I built protections for the rocket during travel. I also made two lists: a launch operations checklist and a packing list. This was the first time for a rocket project I’ve been involved in.

At the launch site, the integration went nearly as well. It took about 90 minutes to fully assemble, having already assembled most parts 2-3 times. The next morning I was the first on the launchpad. It launched early in the morning before the wind picked up, and had a beautiful flight. The parachutes deployed slightly late, causing some zippering, but it came down in one piece.

Part of my endeavor with this project was to make an entertaining video documenting the process, to inspire others to pursue ideas and follow in the success of the viral motorized couch. At the same time I wanted to make it educational, so included some lessons on rocket stability. The video had the best production quality yet of my YouTube videos but unfortunately hasn’t garnered a ton of attention. It was however picked up by the Hoover Institute in their monthly news article!