Tempest Sounding Rocket

The Tempest is a two-stage, solid-propellant sounding rocket designed to deliver several kilograms to an altitude of 200 km, the altitude of low-earth orbit. The Tempest was designed and the prototype vehicle constructed in response to the Cheap Access to Space Prize challenge of 1999 by members of the Great Lakes Rocket Society, an amateur rocket organization consisting of core members in the engineering and legal professions. The prototype rocket (engine cores not included), with launch accessories and some analyses required for obtaining an FAA launch license are included in the package sale of the Tempest. Please contact dennis@innovatia.com to discuss details.

Applications

	Atmospheric research
	Microgravity experiments
	High-altitude surveillance
	Weather sensing
	Cinematographic special effects
	Aerospace and environmental education
	High-end amateur rocketry
	Low-end commercial applications

Features

	Two-stage parachute recovery
	High-altitude recovery and stabilization uses protruding flaps
	Durable, single-tube-per-stage construction

Solid propellant simplifies launch operations

Vehicle Characteristics

Distance from nose tip to nozzle exit: 257.42 inch
Reference drag area: 88.664 in²
Engine body tube: Aluminum 6061 T6, 117.75 inch long, 7 inch OD, 1/4 in wall, 62.42 lb
Fins:  3, titanium, 3/16 in thick, total area 122.2 in², 11.14 lb
Fin sleeve: titanium, 1/8 in thick, 17 in long, 10.19 lb
Nozzle: graphite, 6 in length, 2 in bore hole, 6.5 in diameter, 14.96 lb
Nozzle exit area: 1st stage: 38.485 in²
End Closure Aluminum 6061 T6, 1 inch long, 6.5 in diameter, 3.32 lb
Nozzle Retainer: aluminum 6061 T6, 6.5 in diameter, 4.0 lb
Insulation tube: phenolic, 1/8 in wall thick, 6.25 in OD, 99.75 in length, 18.05 lb
Closure insulation: phenolic 1/4 in thick disk, 6.5 in diameter, 0.58 lb
Nominal propellant grain: 103 in long, 6.25 diameter, neutral burning, 175 lb
1st-stage total weight: 299.66 lb

Distance from nose tip to nozzle exit: 126.85 inch
Reference drag area: 58.426 in²
Engine body tube: aluminum 6061 T6, 99.5 inch long, 7 inch OD, 1/4 in wall, 48.84 lb
Propellant grain: 65.25 inches long, 6.25 in diameter, neutral burning, 120 lb
Fins: 3, titanium, 3/16 in thick, total area 76.07 in², 8.85 lb
Fin sleeve: titanium, 1/8 in thick,  21 in length, 10.19 lb
Nozzle: graphite, 6 in length, 1.5 in bore hole, 6.5 in diameter, 10.95 lb
Nozzle exit area: 2nd stage: 18.927 in²
End closure: aluminum 6061 T6, 1 inch length, 6.5 in diameter, 2.38 lb
Nozzle retainer: aluminum 6061 T6, 6.5 in diameter, 4.0 lb
Insulation tube: phenolic, 1/8 in wall thickness, 6.5 in OD, 84 in length, 12.34 lb
Closure insulation: phenolic, 1/4 in thick disk, 6.5 in diameter, 0.42 lb
Nose Cone weight: 10 lb

Nominal telemetry weight, electronics and battery: 5 lb
Nominal altitude and other sensing equipment: 2 lb
Nominal payload weight: 8.82 lb

Interior Support structure: 2 lb

2nd-stage total weight, with nominal payload: 247.44 lb

Payload Section

Payload Accessories

Camera mounting fixture in payload section

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interstage delay timing and recovery electronics

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weight Summary

Total gross takeoff weight: 547.10 lb
1st-stage burnout weight: 372.1 lb
2nd-stage burnout weight: 127.44 lb

First-Stage Performance

Thrust: 5500 lbf
Specific impulse, I_sp: 235 s
Linear burn rate:  0.4 in/s
Burning area: 942.2 in²
Mass flow: 23.40 lb/s
Burn time: 7.48 s
Burnout speed: 2776 ft/s
Mach number: 2.59
Burnout altitude: 11,069 feet
Downrange distance: 302 feet
Maximum dynamic pressure, Q, at 7.4 s: 46.2 psi

Staging

Delay time: 3 s
Speed at end of delay: 2461 ft/s
Altitude at end of delay: 18,459 feet
Downrange delay end: 535 feet

Second-Stage Performance

Thrust: 2100 lbf
Specific impulse, I_sp: 235 s
Linear burn rate: 0.4 in/s
Burn area: 359.7 in²
Mass flow: 8.94 lb/s
Burn time: 13.43 s
Burnout speed: 7,265 ft/s
Mach number: 7.42
Burnout altitude 83,068 feet
Downrange distance: 2,435 feet

Trajectory  Performance

Maximum altitude: 863,550 feet
Required altitude: 656,170 feet
Downrange distance: 49,930 feet

Impact parameters with no parachute:

Downrange distance: 99,855 feet (18.9 miles)
Impact speed: 7,483 ft/s or mach 6.71

Components

Accessories

Cable Cart

Battery-driven electric motor spools cable from rocket to mission control bunker.

Launch Gantry

Gantry is modular and can be disassembled for shipping and storage.

Drawings

Full Assembly	Sustainer (2nd Stage)
Booster (1st Stage)	Chute Silo Piston Sustainer Nozzle
Interstage Coupling Assembly          Sustainer Fin                               Booster Fin	Booster Nozzle

Design Background

The Tempest design team included:

John Belle, aerospace structural engineer
Jesse Boyer, aerospace engineer
Michael Jacobs, mechanical engineering and fabrication
Tim Reinhart, Timon Tool & Die, Toledo, OH; (419) 476-1990: fabrication and facilities
Paul Robinson, propulsion design
Frank Uroda, Public Missiles, Ltd.: structural components supplier and fabricator
Richard Wills, astronautical engineer
Dr. Robert S. Wolf, aerospace engineer

Launch license requirements: Kenneth M. Weidaw III, JD, Richard Wills

Purchasing Information

The offering price for the Tempest vehicle, including  the above accessories, and documentation files is $45,000 US. This price and terms are negotiable. Please contact Innovatia to discuss purchase.