2022-06-17 The Cygnus Probe Ship
The Cygnus Probe Ship Rocket - A Scratch Design/Build: 29mm Motored Rocket Built to Mimic the Rocket of the Same Name from the Disney Movie "The Black Hole".
First Launch, July 10, 2020. Stable Under Thrust, Then Tumbles.
2024-05-30 Flight Report, Photos and Videos
Launch Report: Cygnus Probe Ship With Body Tube Extension
Date: 2024-05-30
Background
This is the 3rd launch of the Cygnus Probe Ship. This version has the longer body tube. The previous launches were both unstable.
On Site Preparations
For wadding I used a Nomex recovery bag.
For a parachute I used a 18” Nylon chute.
This launch will use a F52-5C Composite motor. This is Aerotech’s “Classic” propellant which is nearly clear during launch.
The supplied Aerotech igniter was used.
The rocket was slid onto the 5/16" launch rod and the controller wires were attached to the igniter leads.
Launch
Wind was out of the East and was about 4 mph at the most.
John stated the sky was clear - launch site was clear and did the countdown: 5-4-3-2-1. Teresa pushed the button on the launch controller.
The motor ignited and the rocket leaped off the pad. It flew stable upward but then went unstable heading toward the East. The chute deployed and the rocket ground hit 270 feet from the launch horse.
Condition of rocket after the flight
The rocket was uninjured.
Conclusions
The Rocketry Forum member Andy, sr205347d, speculated that the outriggers and legs, being round, were the cause of the instability. I feel this last test with the extended body tube shows that Andy is indeed correct. While the extended body tube helped, the rocket is clearly still unstable.
A string swing test was performed and the rocket passed that test.
What I learned
Don’t push the calculated stability calibers on an odd roc to such extents.
Don’t put so much confidence in the swing test.
I’m retiring this rocket.
2025-05-08... Well... maybe one more launch
Launch Report: Cygnus Probe – Stretched With Spin Sails
Date: 2025-05-08
Background
This is a single stage scratch design / built rocket. It is a model of the Cygnus Probe Ship from the movie: “The Black Hole”.
This is a std front eject rocket that pops the nose cone to deploy the parachute.
This is the 3rd launch of this rocket. The 1st two launches were stable under thrust, but tumbled during coast.
This version has the extended body tube that was tried in the 2nd flight, but Spin Sails were added to the 3 outriggers to induce spin.
On Site Preparations
For a parachute I used a 18” Nylon chute.
An igniter was installed in the motor and secured via a rubber band.
The rocket was slid onto the 5/16" launch rod and the controller wires were attached to the igniter leads.
The site was clear and no outside observers were present.
Launch
Wind was out of the West / Southwest and was about 4 mph.
The Aerotech E30-4 motor ignited and the rocket leaped off the pad.
It flew stable off the rod, 48 mph, through both Thrust and Coast phases, to about 350 feet.
At ejection the chute deployed and the chute partially opened.
The rocket landed 286 feet from the launch pad, to the South-Southwest.
Condition of rocket after the flight
The rocket lost one of its 3 legs and one of its 3 outriggers.
The shock chord was wrapped around the parachute.
The broken leg was found on the trip back from Ground Hit to the Launch Pad. The outrigger was not found.
Conclusions
The rocket was stable. The Spin Sails worked.
What I learned
This was a spectacular flight.
Due to the odd shape of the body and the outriggers / legs this rocket needed to spin to maintain stability.
The photos and launch video reflected this flight accurately.
Launch Video: Cygnus Probe With Spin Sails 
Date: 2025-05-08
Background
This is a single stage scratch design / built rocket. It is a model of the Cygnus Probe Ship from the movie: “The Black Hole”.
This is a std front eject rocket that pops the nose cone to deploy the parachute.
This is the 3rd launch of this rocket. The 1st two launches were stable under thrust, but tumbled during coast.
This version has the extended body tube that was tried in the 2nd flight, but Spin Sails were added to the 3 outriggers to induce spin.
On Site Preparations
For a parachute I used a 18” Nylon chute.
An igniter was installed in the motor and secured via a rubber band.
The rocket was slid onto the 5/16" launch rod and the controller wires were attached to the igniter leads.
The site was clear and no outside observers were present.
Launch
Wind was out of the West / Southwest and was about 4 mph.
The Aerotech E30-4 motor ignited and the rocket leaped off the pad.
It flew stable off the rod, 48 mph, through both Thrust and Coast phases, to about 350 feet.
At ejection the chute deployed and the chute partially opened.
The rocket landed 286 feet from the launch pad, to the South-Southwest.
Condition of rocket after the flight
The rocket lost one of its 3 legs and one of its 3 outriggers.
The shock chord was wrapped around the parachute.
The broken leg was found on the trip back from Ground Hit to the Launch Pad. The outrigger was not found.
Conclusions
The rocket was stable. The Spin Sails worked.
What I learned
This was a spectacular flight.
Due to the odd shape of the body and the outriggers / legs this rocket needed to spin to maintain stability.
The photos and launch video reflected this flight accurately.
Launch Video: Cygnus Probe With Spin Sails
2025-05-13 Update to 2025-05-08 Launch Report
We went back out to the launch site,
armed with our GPS and the Ground Strike Location of the Cygnus Probe.
We wanted to see if we could find the Outrigger that was lost.1st
we located the Ground Strike. Then we worked our way back toward the
launch pad location. My wife found the Outrigger. Woot, Woot!
2025-05-14 Like a Phoenix... the Cygnus Probe Ship once again rises from the ashes....
