Rocket Stage Separation
Purpose: Separate the nose cone of a rocket to allow for parachutes to deploy Mechanism: Pressurized CO2, E-match Dimensions: 12" OD, 8" ID, 4" tall Number of Parts: 67 |
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How is works
This is designed to connect two halves of a rocket, and at the commanded time, separate those two halves. I designed it to integrate with Boston Universities Rocket Propulsion Group’s Low Altitude Demonstrator rocket, which I was a lead designer of. It was based on work done by another member. The separation Manifold’s lower half is attached to the airframe of the rocket and the upper half is attached to the Nose Cone. When apogee is reached, the flight computer will ignite 2 E-Matches which ignite black powder. 2 CO2 canisters will rupture, pressurizing the manifold. The pressure is retained by o-rings on either side of the manifold and o-rings compressed by the head of the nylon bolts. This will exert a force on both halves, causing the axial nylon bolts to fail which in-tern shoots off the upper assembly, which pulls out the parachutes. The parachutes at apogee to slow the descent of the rocket. This same device can be attached for used on a multistage rocket to separate the spent lower stage from the upper stage to allow for a better Mass Fraction. |