What are Sounding Rockets? And Why Us?
When people think about rockets, they usually think about the magnificent Saturn V, with its five massive engines riding towards the heavens on a massive column of flame. What they don't usually think of are the sounding rockets, the unsung heros of space exploration who were being launched even before Sputnik orbited the Earth and man broke the sound barrier.
Our goal is simple. We want to pioneer the next generation of these rockets to explore the upper atmosphere and space, and in hopes of that if we do this, we will help to usher in a new age of space exploration (Idealistic, yes, but impossible is a word for the feeble-minded). Our rocket is currently undergoing a design phase, with hopes of testing the equipment next month (By the latest). It is to be powered by either hybrid or solid propellants, and we seek to either launch it from a balloon or a gas compressed "cannon" as a first stage.
Credit: Astronautix (The Super ARCAS sounding rocket used a experimental gas compression cannon for its first stage to reach altitudes of up to 100KM, and my team intends to build upon that research)
Where Will Your Money Be Going To?
This is the question that everyone must ask when donating to an ambitous project. Where will our money be going do, what will you do with our money, and how will our money be used?
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Every penny of the funds we recieve is going towards our cause. Me and my team are doing this voluntarily, and are even contributing our personal funds into this project.
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The project, in it's present state, is already gathering funding outside Indiegogo and already has small amounts of money. However, these funds will be nowhere enough to push us to completion.
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Any extra funds (This would be unexpected, as there is a purpose planned for almost every dollar) would go to developing our next version of the COSMOS sounding rocket.
- Around $1300 will be spent developing and building the engine, the most important part of the rocket. Most of the funds for the test flights on the weather balloons will be funded out of our own pockets, $700 will be used to create a prototype launch assist system and the rest $400 will go to the parachute, computer, and GPS transmitters. Anything we cannot afford with this campaign will be paid for by our personal funds; however, we ourselves cannot afford much.
Credit: N. Aeronautcs (Basic concept frame of our funding model)
Our Impact
If we succeed, it will mark multiple milestones. For the first time, a rocket constructed out of basic off-the-shelf matierials will make it to space. For the first time, high school students will design and launch a supersonic vehicle, and for the first time, space exploration wouldn't be an faraway endeavour that is solely the property of expert engineers and scientists, but a adventure that everyone can have a stake in and accomplish. We also will accomplish several technical milestones with our plans to use a launch assist system (Balloons or gas "cannon").
Credit: N. Aeronautics (Concept design of our rocket, not the finished product).
Risks & Challenges
To say that our project would be one of no-risk would be a pretty stupid mistake on our behalf. There will be risks. There will be challenges, there will be failures. Our rocket and equipment will need to be able to withstand supersonic speeds at extreme temperatures and altitudes, and still safely return to Earth in one piece.
However, I can assure that me and my team will try our best to accomplish our goals. I cannot promise success, but I can promise that we will do everything on our power not to dissappoint you or let you down.
How Else Can I Help?
Even if you cannot donate, it would be greatly appreciated if you could spread the word about our project. As a ragtag team of students, any publicity would be greatly appreciated and helpful to achieving our nearterm goals of launching the COSMOS I past the Karman line and our ultimate goal of providing cheap access to space.
Space exploration isn't just for governments or rich corporations; it's a adventure that the everyday person can take part in.
And that's what matters to our spacefaring future. Each dollar propels us a further 100ft into the air, up to our goal of 100km, the point in which the Earth meets the vast expanse of the universe. Contribute now as we go on this journey...together.
- Ed