EXPERIMENTAL SERIES
TEST ROCKET II
Test Series Rocket 2 (TR2) is a rocket designed to replicate the exact systems that will be used on Karman Series rocket. As the name suggests, the purpose of this rocket is to test new designs and innovations, including the MRAS (Multi Rocket Avionics System) and the Eagle CO2 separation system.
The series was started in the 2022/23 academic year and has already had 1 successful launch, with two more launches scheduled for May and June. By launching the rocket multiple times, the team can test their designs and ideas in actual in-flight scenarios.
The first launch in April 2023 successfully tested the MRAS system and a new ejection system for separation. For the upcoming launch in May, the team plans to model the rocket after a miniature version of the Karman Alpha rocket with a two-stage system in place. As this academic year comes to an end, the team has brainstormed new ideas for the next year, including reaction control thrusters to control the orientation of the rocket and pitot tubes to measure the rocket's velocity during ascent. The goal of the Test series programme is to build and launch a new Test Series rocket each semester.
KARMAN MINI
Karman Mini was our first Avionics test rocket designed to fly with the MRAS board (Multi Rocket Avionics System) and a raven altimeter.
Modelled after the Karman Alpha, the rocket serves as the MRAS test platform. The team has launched the rocket 3 times successfully, each with a new iteration of the MRAS. The rocket has reached the predicted apogee of 300m each time.
One of the objectives of the Karman Mini project was cost efficiency. To achieve this goal, the team used phenolic body tubes, plywood mounts, and bulkheads. The fins were 3d printed to mold it into the desired shape and save costs. These were only few of the efforts the team made to make the most cost efficient rocket of the project. The rocket remains active today, with launches scheduled for the next academic year.
