Key learnings from A6M1
The A6M1/A6M1C design and its first launch showed some room for improvement in different project areas:
Rocket Design
- Print tail units and do not glue them on
- Use payload module for safe parachute ejection
Motor selection
- Use simulation data for engine selection (C6-3 instead of C6-5 motor)
- Simulate and test D9 engine
Altimeter
- Revise altimeter
A6M2 Rocket Design
The glued-on fins of the first two launch attempts of A6M1 broke off during the hard landings and some were lost. The glueing process proved difficult and not very accurate. A perfect angles of the fins could not be guaranteed. Thus the fins shall be printed together with the booster section. This is the first design:
Launches
The new design was tested on Launch Day 2024. It was tested with two motor configurations:
- Single D9-7 motor
- Single D6-5 motor in the center and four C6-P motors in the boosters
Motor configuration 1 was stable and the parachute deployed at approx. the right altitude (key learning from A6M1).
Motor configuration 2 was instable and followed a spiraling flight curve. It crashed without parachute deployment.