I think this is as long as it gets
http://youtu.be/L0YY-Q1ENoo
http://youtu.be/C2IKh840XFk
On Friday, June 19, 2015, Andrew Wimmer <xenonrocket@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
On Fri, Jun 19, 2015 at 10:17 AM, R Dierking <applerocketry@xxxxxxxxxxx
<javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','applerocketry@xxxxxxxxxxx');>> wrote:
There could be problems when there is a cross wind to the rocket being
held on the rail. Not because of the potential rotation around one of the
buttons, but because rail buttons resist moving when they are at an angle
to the rail. This we know from inserting the rocket onto the rail and
feeling it grab if not going on straight. You can really feel any
rotational torque. So the rail buttons are grabbing on the rail guides and
could induce a ‘snap’ as the rocket goes down the rail.
I can't find it right now, but I did the math on this once on a "standard"
USLI airframe -6" dia, 10' long, 50lb on a CTI 4 grain L. The effect, even
in 20mph wind is extremely negligible. It's more pronounced when you're
loading it on the pad since you have the entire weight of the rocket
torquing the button and providing force on the interface between the button
and rail. When it's leaving the pad under thrust, unless you are launching
horizontally, most of that force isn't there, and the force from the wind,
as mentioned, is very very small.
-Andrew
