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This page contains thumbnail images
of the latest flight of CR4, a 4-inch diameter rocket outfitted with a 35 mm
camera. Clicking a thumbnail will download a low-resolution image. Links to
medium- and high-resolution images will be provided at a later date.
The camera is a Polaroid 3000 AF fitted with an external timer circuit, 9v battery, and reed relay. The timer closes the relay contacts about once every second. The timer circuitry includes a photo-transistor. Openings in the back of the payload bay allow access to the circuit power switch, reset switch, and photo-transistor. On the pad, the circuit is switched on and the camera shutter door is opened. Just before countdown begins, a hand-held spot light is aimed at the photo-transistor and the camera begins taking pictures. The first couple shots spool-up the film, while the next couple shots are taken on the pad. Images from earlier flights of the CR4 can be accessed by clicking on the individual launch dates below. May 20, 2000, Demo launch for Scout-O-Rama, ten images. November 28, 1999, MTMA Launch No. 5, eight images. September 25, 1999, MTMA Launch No. 4, seven images. July 11, 1999, MTMA Launch No. 2, four images. May 16, 1999, MTMA Launch No. 1, eleven images. |

Flight Notes: Launched on an Aerotech H97J-S reload in a Dr. Rockets 29/240 RMS casing. This was CR4's first flight on anything other than an F-motor, my first launch of anything larger than an F-motor, and my Level 1 certification flight. After seeing a rocket launched just before mine weathercock heavily into the wind and head for the road (S.R. 91), I decided to straighten the rod a bit. The extra velocity generated by the H-motor made weathercocking virtually non-existant, and CR4 screamed into the sky aiming only slightly upwind. Burn-out occurred less than two seconds after lift-off at about 350 feet up. CR4 coasted to apogee at about 1300 feet, snapping pictures as it did a slow 180 degree roll. The recovery system on the booster and payload deployed fully, and both sections went for a nice ride on the breeze, drifting to a wooded area just north of the model airplane club's landing strip. We got a line on both pieces. The payload was found in the wooded area about 3 hours after lift-off, on the ground! Who knows how that happened. The booster was hung up in the lowest branch of a large tree about 50 feet off the ground. A rope was thrown over the branch and the booster was recovered about 6 hours after lift-off. No damage on either piece.
Due to the higher altitude of the H-motor, a 36 exposure roll
of film was used. The best 11 exposures were scanned and are shown below from a "nosecone up"
perspective. At this time, only low-resolution images are available. Additional resolutions
and exposures will be added as time and server space allow.
| Thumbnail Image | Frame | Description | ||
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00 |
T minus 2. Facing south-southwest, looking through the range. |
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1 |
T plus 1. Facing south-southwest, LCO table, spectators, and soccer fields. That's me in the yellow shirt. |
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6 |
Several frames after lift-off. Rolled nearly 180 degrees from launch orientation, nearing apogee. View of KSU airport (light green grass in sea of dark green trees) over 2 miles away to the northeast. |
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11 |
A few frames after ejection. First-ever picture of the booster. Blurry view of range down and right from booster. Nose pointing south-southwest. |
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12 |
Soccer fields and S.R. 91. The range is in lower left of frame. Nose pointing southwest. |
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13 |
Houses with pools in the subdivision across State Route 91. Nose pointing west-northwest. |
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16 |
Booster, soccer fields, and the range. Nose pointing south-southwest. |
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21 |
Model Airplane club with paved landing strip in the upper portion of the frame. Range in the lower portion. Nose pointing northeast. |
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25 |
Mulch piles east of the range, with another shot of the booster. Nose pointing east-northeast. |
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30 |
Area east of the range. That "blip" north of the airstrip is actually a model airplane in flight. Nose pointing north. |
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32 |
This photo was included to show the dramatic difference in altitude between the F-motors and the H-motors in this rocket. Click here to see a photo of this same area from a *much* lower altitude. Nose pointing east-northeast. |
The 35 mm film from CR4 was procesed and printed on 4"x6" prints. These were scanned at 300 dpi for high-resolution, reduced by 50% (effective 150 dpi) for medium-resolution, reduced by 50% again (effective 75 dpi) for low-resolution, and reduced by 50% yet again (effective 37.5 dpi) for thumbnail-resolution.
Construction details and photos, as well as photos of the completed rocket can be accessed at CR4 Construction.
This page has been visited times since May 25, 1999.
If you would like to e-mail me please follow this link.
This page was created on May 25, 1999.
The last major update was on December 24, 2002.
The last minor update was on July 21, 2010.