MISSION: ZENITH-26-ALPHA
Milford, MA Sector | Green Mean Machine Variant
01. Range Operations & Mentorship
Special thanks to Guy Wadsworth from CMASS, who served as our mentor and range lead. Guy proportioned a fantastic rocketry afternoon, overseeing the launch of our primary vehicle and demonstrating high-power principles with his own flight.
02. Flight Dynamics
The vehicle maintained a stable 90-degree ascent. Visual tracking confirms that the G10 fiberglass fin stabilization successfully countered crosswinds, keeping the rocket on its predicted trajectory toward the 790ft apogee.
03. Recovery Anomaly
The mission encountered a critical failure at the deployment transition. A Deployment Deficit occurred—the ejection charge failed to separate the airframe sections, resulting in a high-velocity ballistic descent into a wooded recovery zone.
04. Guest Flight: LOC Nano-Magg
Guy also launched a LOC Precision Nano-Magg. This short, high-drag "stubby" is a crowd favorite because it handles massive thrust while remaining remarkably stable. It's the ultimate 'muscle car' of the low-to-mid power world, punching through the air with a profile that’s as iconic as it is aerodynamic.
MISSION BRIEFING: ZENITH-26-ALPHA
Project: Green Mean Machine | Sector: Milford, MA
Design Evolution Analysis
Moving from the March "Stress Test" to the final Competition Goal required precise mass and aerodynamic tuning.
| Metric | March Test | Zenith Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Launch Mass | 658.2g | 641.4 |
| Target Altitude | 820 ft | 750 ft |
| Flight Duration | 43.2s | 37.4s |
Monte Carlo Flight Distribution
1,000 simulated flights accounting for +/-3% motor variance and +/-5% drag.
Construction & Tactical Analysis
During the final assembly phase, the team encountered significant deviations between simulation data and physical construction realities. We implemented high-pressure, last-minute modifications to ensure mission success:
- Scale Calibration Issues: Original scale measurements were found to be inconsistent with actual build mass, necessitating field adjustments.
- Ballast Reversal: While simulations suggested a weight reduction, the actual build required added ballast to correct for denser-than-expected air profiles.
- Engineering Resilience: Despite construction setbacks, the team maintained a "Flight Ready" status through iterative field testing.
Field Adjustments & Verdict
Milford air density (~1.24 kg/m³) increased fin effectiveness but added significant drag.
- Ballast Advice: Added ballast during construction to counteract "March Drag" and scale measurement errors.
- Stability: Maintained 1.67 Calibers for high stability in spring winds.
- Rail Buttons: Switched to 1010 buttons to minimize "rod whip".
Mission Anomaly: Recovery Failure
Per TARC 2026 Flight Requirements, the vehicle is designed to transition into a "Dual-Section" recovery state, where the airframe must split into two distinct parts connected by a shock cord.
During the Zenith-26-Alpha mission, a critical separation failure occurred. Despite a successful ejection charge, the airframe sections remained mechanically wedged due to last-minute construction tolerances and dense air resistance. Because the rocket failed to split, the parachute remained trapped inside the pressurized tube, resulting in a high-velocity ballistic descent.
Critical Safety Fixes if you ever plan to use F-39
Warning: Standard AeroTech F39-3 delays (3s- We used 6s delays) are insufficient for this airframe profile and may cause zippering.
- Delay Tuning: Utilized a drilling tool to adjust timing to 6 seconds for safe deployment at apogee.
- Altimeter Accuracy: Integrated 3x 1/16" vent holes to eliminate pressure lag during high-velocity ascent.
- Recovery Integrity: Increased shock cord to 3x body length to absorb deployment kinetic energy.