Recent Build Party 1/6/25
Building Aether Mark IV V2
In quick succession, our team was hard at work for around an hour constructing the second rocket of our version 2 class of rockets: Mark IV V2. Nearly identical to its predecessor, Aether Mark IV shares the same updates across our V2 rockets. However, one unique change to Aether Mark IV is that it includes a different style of elastic shock cord. The reason? Our team wants to conduct tests using various implementations of the same components on our V2 rockets. How does this help us? By using different types of the same component, we can measure which one guarantees better performance for our rocket. This is a methodology common in technological and scientific competitions and sports, such as F1.
Recent Build Party 1/5/25
Building Aether Mark III V2
Starting the year off with a strong build! Our builders were hard at work fabricating Aether Mark III, the first of our version 2 rockets. Our version two rockets improve upon the problems we saw with our version 1 Aether rockets. One of our improvements includes a refined nosecone for both aerodynamic purposes, as well as an improved slot for our altimeter to accurately record our flight. Our build went mostly smoothly with only one problem arising: the cardboard motor mount. The cardboard motor mount was the exact diameter of the opening in our fin can, which meant fitting the motor mount was a difficult task. Although completed in roughly 2 hours, we have taken note of several improvements in both our design and fabrication process.
Recent Build Party 12/9/24
Building Aether Mark III V2 and Mark IV V2
Reviewing our latest launch data our team worked hard to build the newest designs with improved nosecone aerodynamics, and a better weight distribution. This rocket is designed to handle a higher-power motor capable of achieving our desired altitude. Our team worked hard to provide quality materials for this rocket using PET-G filament for the fins and PLA for the nosecone and transition. The nosecone received an update with a larger housing for the altimeter. This build party lasted over 2 hours preparing our rocket for the rigorous testing in the upcoming year.
Recent Build Party 11/10/24
Building Aether Mark I
Hard at work, our team successfully completed the construction of Aether Mark I, our first rocket for the 2024-2025 ARC season. Following a strict "instruction manual", our team completed the build in under 2 hours. We began by cutting body tubes to the required length as outlined by our design. Then, we split up the work. Aditya and Nidhi worked on the lower half of the body tube, attaching the parachutes and fixing the motor mount. Meanwhile, Raghav and Abheek worked on the upper body tube, securing the nose cone and fixing the eggs needed for the competition in their respective egg holders. The main takeaways from this build party were good instructions and a systematic process, however somewhat messy process.
Recent Build Party 11/17/24
Building Aether Mark II
This time around, we were successfully able to finish our second rocket of the season, Aether Mark II. We were able to complete the rocket in less than 4 hours. The significant increase in time came with problems in cutting the body tube, that was eventually fixed with the help of makeshift guides, and refining Aether Mark I. Our process was essentially the same as our previous build, however we did use different 3D printed components that were fabricated with a different 3D printer. These parts proved to be well made and were attached easily onto Aether Mark II. Takeaways from this build party was an improved build party from an organization standpoint, however, could be refined with better body tube cutting practices to minimize time.