Black Widow
Black Widow is a rocket I built in late 2015 / early 2016 to replace Home Alone after its crash in Elsberry. The kit is a Rocketry Warehouse (now Composite Warehouse) Dominator 3, no longer in production. It's very similar in size to Home Alone, but with a different fin shape featuring a curved trailing edge. The kit came with a very nice looking red-anodized nose cone tip and tailcone motor retainer, so I finished it in a black and red color scheme.
-
View from onboard camera.
-
First liftoff.
-
Landed in the Argonia dust.
Launches
Checklist
(This checklist will change somewhat due to the redesign project.)
Pre-launch (before leaving town):
- Clean everything!
- Charge batteries: TeleGPS, TeleBT, BRB transmitter, all cameras, Mobius, ham transceiver, drill
- Clear memory in cameras
- Check TeleGPS config and reset / clear memory
- Check Mobius config (correct video mode; sync clock), test and clear memory
- Test TeleGPS/TeleBT and leave transmitter battery unplugged
- Install new Duracell battery for Raven; check Raven config (set main pyro altitude to 900 feet); switch OFF and remove battery
- Check contents of recovery pack
Pre-launch (night before launch):
- Assemble motor - remove delay charge
- Install motor in rocket
- Assemble ejection charges (1.5g Goex + wadding) x4
- Refold / repack parachute and rubberband
Chute is folded in quarter lengthwise, then gores folded in in quarters and laid on top, then chute folded / rolled across. Bundle should end up approx. 13.5" long with gores on the inside and should be thin enough to easily slide into tube.
At the field:
- Install Raven battery; verify that green "safe" lamp is lit, and zip-tie battery to sled
- Switch Raven on to test; verify that red "armed" lamp is lit while Raven is on and 8-9 voltage beeps are heard. Switch Raven off.
- Check terminal blocks for voltage
- Secure (4) ejection charges in charge wells with electrical tape and connect leads to terminal blocks
Pay special attention to orientation of the sled in the coupler when assembling. The arming switch must be aligned with the designated access hole, and the "up" end of the sled must be aligned with the "up" end of the coupler.
- Insert sled into coupler, attach forward bulkhead plug and assemble coupler with lock washers and hex nuts
- Attach aft shock cord / nomex between booster & coupler
- Pack drogue & attach to aft shock cord
- Check / adjust friction fitting between booster & coupler
- Attach forward shock cord / nomex to coupler
- Thread forward shock cord through forward section and attach forward section to coupler with rivets
- Bundle forward shock cord w/masking tape
- Attach main parachute to forward shock cord
- Switch TeleGPS and TeleBT on, check for comm & GPS lock, switch TeleBT off (leave TeleGPS on!)
- Assemble nose cone with lock washer and eye nut
- Attach forward shock cord to nose cone
- Fit nose cone to payload section, install shear pins
- Verify that TeleGPS is still transmitting
- To pad with rocket, pad camera & recovery pack
At the pad:
- Place pad camera
- Switch on-board camera on, REMOVE LENS CAP & start recording
- Rocket on rail
- Switch Raven on
- CHECK FOR PROPER NUMBER OF CHARGE CONTINUITY BEEPS [HI-HI-HI-HI]
- Apo-Main-Backup Apo-Backup Main...High=connected, low=disconnected
- Igniter in motor
- Igniter leads
- Start pad camera
- Return to LCO
- Switch TeleBT on and verify that TeleGPS still has GPS lock and is transmitting - if not, ask LCO to hold launch
- Go For Launch