Design development of a vertically landed model rocket

The rising importance of the development and use of reusable launch vehicle platforms has been observed as an opportunity to cultivate new interest in space. This work described in this thesis aimed to develop a small, inexpensive, vertically landed rocket (VLR) with a focus on the design, testing, and implementation of the landing gear of the rocket. The development of flight test plans, assembly instructions, and a competition where teams compete to construct their own VLR from a kit is also covered. The VLR was designed, assembled, calibrated, and flight tested by students at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The VLR was designed to be carried to a predetermined drop altitude underneath a drone. Following its release, the VLR descends and fires its rocket motor, controlling a gimbal to maintain the rocket in an upright orientation. A passive aerodynamic fin package was also used to keep the rocket stable while the engine was not being fired. In terminal flight, the landing gear absorbs the impact of landing and keeps the VLR upright. VLR subsystems were tested independently before being integrated on a series of powered test vehicles. Many VLR flight tests were performed to validate the design and operation of the rocket. Following this, multiple VLR kits were manufactured and distributed to student teams for their assembly and flight in two UIUC sponsored competitions.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Aerospace Engineering

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2023

Author dc:creator

• Gable, David

Contributors dc:contributor

• Lembeck, Michael

• Vertical Landing Rocket
• Vertical Landing
• Landing Gear
• Landing Gear Design
• Landing Gear Dynamics
• Flight Testing
• Rocket Landing
• Model Rocket Design

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2023 David Gable

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/121535

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F121535