The purpose of this short paper is to promote a manned rocket flight to 3000 feet, organized and constructed by rocket experimenters. The year 2000 is rapidly approaching and no privately sponsored manned rocket has yet to rumble off the launchpad. Evel Knieval made one valiant attempt to jump the Snake River Canyon in the 1970s, but the parachute deployed before the " Sky Cycle" left the ramp. Evel survived and he and the engineer Bob Truax made a considerable amount of money. The technology exists to accomplish a 3000 foot manned launch; all that is needed now is the vision, funding, purpose, teamwork, and a willing rocket pilot to accomplish this daring deed.

The manned rocket will be propelled by a solid propellant engine and recovered by parachute. After the parachute opens, the rocket pilot will open the capsule section of the rocket, bailout, freefall for 5 seconds, and open his own parachute.  

A engine burn time of about 7 seconds and a speed of 280 mph will be needed to attain an altitude of 3000 feet. Complete deployment of the rocket main parachute should be completed by 2600 feet, bailout by 2300 feet, and the pilots parachute deployed by 2000 feet.

The fueled rocket should weigh no more than 1500 pounds and be capable of lifting a 250 pound person. Acceleration should not exceed 5 gs ( 4 Gs actual acceleration + 1 G Earth). The total liftoff weight should not exceed 1750 pounds. The engine or engines will need to develop 5500 pounds of thrust at liftoff.

The rocket will have the following characteristics:

1. The rocket will be all one piece unless there are stages
2. The rocket will be fin stabilized
3. The rocket will have a capsule section on top that will be wider than the engine section
4. The engine section will be attached to the capsule section
5. The engine section will have large fins to keep the rocket stable
6. The capsule section will be able to be opened to allow the pilot to bail out at low and high speeds
7. The pilot will be strapped in until the rocket parachute opens
8. The rocket parachute will be big enough to slow the rocket and pilot down to 12 mph in case the pilot blacks out and / or is not able to bailout
9. The rocket parachute will be activated by a preset timer, but will also have a manual override for the pilot in case of an emergency
10. The parachute will be made of flame resistant material
11. The capsule section will have a window so the pilot can see the horizon
12. The rocket will resemble a 60 or 81 millimeter mortar round, large at the front with a skinny body, and fins

Rocket Flight Profile:

  

1. The rocket will accelerate for about 7 seconds or about half of the flight
2. The engine will burn out at about 1600 feet with the rocket traveling about 280 mph
3. The rocket will coast and slowly start to arch attaining a peak altitude of 3000 feet
4. At the peak altitude, the parachute will deploy from behind the capsule section of the rocket
5. When the parachute is fully open, the pilot will unbuckle his seating harness, open the capsule section and bailout
6. The pilot will freefall for 3 to 5 seconds and deploy a ramair parachute
7. The pilot will then fly the ramair parachute to the designated landing area and land
8. The total time in the air from liftoff to landing is estimated to be about 3 minutes

Funding is probably the hardest part of the project to conceptualize. This paper is going out to many rocket and experimental aircraft enthusiasts, and I hope generates many ideas. Some that Ive thought of are pretty conventional, but some may be far-fetched.

1. Appeal to rocket manufacturers to exchange materials and services for advertising of their company. A decal of the company logo could be placed on the side of the rocket much like race car promoters do
2. Sell stock to bring in capital for the rocket and launch. The share holders can make a profit from the launch and the marketing that follows
3. Find out prior to launch if any TV program would consider airing the launch
4. Ask pop music stars if they would like to use the launch as a back drop for a music video
5. Sell videos, T-shirts, hats, posters, coffee cups, comic books, etc. of the launch
6. Ask former Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo astronauts to come promote the launch by being present
7. Ask the astronauts if they would donate us a short speech
8. Using imagination, obtain the capital by any honest, moral, and legal means necessary
9. Ask Coca-Cola or Budweiser if they would be interested in making a commercial using the launch
10. Ask any other companies if they would be interested in making commercials using the launch

 I anticipate this project to be relatively inexpensive. We are not going to the moon, just to 3000 feet with all the fire, smoke, and thunder that NASA once shot for the moon. All that is needed is a rocket that will not fall apart at 300 mph, an engine that develops 5500 pounds of thrust reliably for 7 seconds, a surplus Army cargo parachute, a comfortable flight seat, a used sport parachute rig, the courage to believe in our work, and a willing pilot to strap himself inside a flame spitting missile.

 The reason we should launch a manned rocket is simple we can do it. Other reasons: 

1. It will be great fun
2. The technical challenge
3. Gain respect
4. Inspire the youth of today
5. Achieve another first for Americans
6. Make money from marketing the launch
7. Generate more interest in rocketry
8. It will be spectacular
9. Begin with a small step private manned space flight
10. Set a world record
11. Give an affordable option to those who would like to ride a rocket and go into space
12. Because we love to watch rockets fly and we are going to build them anyway

In the beginning, ideas for the construction and design of the rocket should be freely shared between enthusiasts. The Internet, telephone, and the postman should be our couriers. All involved should elect officials like president, vice president, and treasurer, etc. to organize the efforts. Action steps will be voted on just like any organization. Various talents will be needed, some of them are:

1. Aerospace Engineers
2. CNC Milling Machine Operators
3. CAD-CAM Technicians
4. Welders
5. Parachute Riggers
6. Simulation Software Operators
7. Accountants
8. Legal Advisors
9. Photographers
10. Propellant Chemist
11. Materials Engineers
12. And other craftsman that I havent thought of

 Well, if you havent already guessed, Im one volunteer. Im 34, 185 pounds, 5 11, and in good health. I am not just a thrill seeker; I just have dreams that will not die. I know I can survive this and I believe and trust in parachutes. I have made over 300 parachute jumps, mostly sport, and some in the Infantry of the 82nd Airborne Division . I do believe this project is potentially dangerous, but it is a necessary rite of passage. Manned rocket flight is the wide open highway we must travel for the growth of privately funded experimental rocketry.

1. Low cost

2. Lowest altitude that a bailout can reliably and safely be accomplished

3. Low speed makes for a safer flight

4. To give the crowd a good show since the whole flight will be clearly visible

5. Not much is needed to set a world record in this arena

1. Share ideas via telephone, Internet, and mail with those interested.
2. Build scale prototypes and scale launches. The challenge to those accustomed to building long skinny rockets will be to build a "mortar round" rocket that is stable accelerating at only 3 to 5 Gs.
3. Incorporate, elect officers, gain capital.
4. Find a willing backup pilot.
5. Build two rockets, and one mock capsule section.
6. Suspend the mock capsule section in the air about 10 feet and practice bailouts over a lake, swimming pool, air bag , or trapeze net.
7. Launch one rocket with a 225 pound dummy (not me) and an accelerometer to determine the G forces the pilot will have to undergo.
8. Set up a launch date, sign waivers.
9. Light the candle.

Every conceivable danger must be openly discussed. Some of my own concerns are:

1. The parachute system for the rocket must have a manual override. If the rocket breaks up in flight, the pilot needs to have a way to stop it.
2. The safety restraint that keeps the pilot in the seat needs to have an easy single point release
3. The capsule section needs to have an easy exit
4. The capsule section should be free of protruding objects that could snag a reserve ripcord handle
5. The most reliable solid propellant engine should be used
6. A method of inspecting the propellant grain before launch needs to be invented

The parachute for the rocket will be stowed behind the capsule section. The fins could snag the pilot chute and prevent parachute deployment. I would recommend a ballistic parachute deployment at a 90 degree angle to the rocket so that the pilot chute will clear the fins.

  The fact that the rocket is fat at the top and skinny in the main body makes it difficult to use a launch lug like a conventional model rocket would use. Some method of keeping the rocket stable during its first few moments of flight needs to be conceived.

  A possible solution to the rocket parachute deployment would be to use a parachute with a long bridle line . The parachute shroud lines would not start unstowing until the bridle line is fully stretched out and the parachute and its deployment bag are behind the fins of the rocket. This should prevent an entanglement.

Engine burn time 7 seconds + /- 1 second

 Powered flight distance 1600 feet + /- 200 feet

 Rocket speed at

engine burnout 280 mph +/- 20 mph

 Coast distance 1400 feet + /- 200 feet

 Peak altitude 3000 feet + /- 250 feet

 Maximum acceleration 5 Gs ( Earth plus rocket engine)

 Loaded rocket weight 1750 lb. with pilot

 Minimum liftoff thrust 5500 lb.

 Estimated flight time of rocket before parachute deployment 20 seconds

 Estimated total time in air 3 minutes

 Maximum pilot weight with parachute 250 lb.

Stabilization method fin

Engine solid propellant

Ignition method electrical

Allow your imagination to soar. You walk towards the launch tower with flight suit and helmet on. Pause a minute and look at the strange rocket that will carry you into the blue sky. Climb into the capsule, strap yourself in, and say a quick prayer before the countdown begins. As the countdown ends, hear the sound of rolling thunder when the solid fuel ignites and you are pushed into your seat. The roar of the engine becomes deafening as the fiery rocket defies the earth and goes whizzing through the sky. The crushing G forces are replaced with a euphoric sense of weightlessness as the engine spits its last flame. The ship coasts for a few precious moments. You are relieved when you feel the jolt from the main parachute opening. It is time to eject the canopy, bail out, give a good "Airborne" hard arch and pull the ripcord. The beautiful red, white, and blue parachute opens. Spiral down and land in front of the clapping crowd. You and the team are steely-eyed missilemen.

For Krafft Ehricke and Max Valier- The boldest of the bold

To Phillip for keeping the dream

To Joe for everything

And the crew of Apollo 1, Challenger, and all the cosmonauts, engineers, and workers who lost there lives aiming for the stars

UPDATE: This paper was first mailed on Jan 27 1996. I have had several responses to this paper. I have been advised that a liquid fueled engine or a hybrid would be a better choice for this task. I now believe solid propellant engines should not be used . A hybrid engine would be safest. The rocket altitude goal has been moved to 4000 feet to give a extra margin of safety. This paper has been altered from the original. Copy at will!

Correspondence:

Glen May

118 Tamin Cove

Byhalia, Mississippi 38611

 Phone (601) 893 0240