MLAS: Max Launch Abort System

I was intrigued by 's Peter Alway's article in the July / August 2025 Sport Rocketry regarding NASA'a MLAS: Max Launch Abort System.

If this rocket interests you, the Wikipedia on the MLAS includes a video of the flight, with some great photos of the rocket being built.

There are several scale flying model's that have been documented here on TRF, a quick search of "MLAS" in the title. Quest made a version of the MLAS, but it's not true scale model of the real rocket

The MLAS Rocket

So I opened up OpenRocket and using the dimensional data that was provided by made a 4.148 inch OD version of the rocket, since that's the body tube I have available. Awesome job on the drawings Peter.

I used the Base Drag Hack, the rocket has a 5:1 length to diameter ratio.

My version will fly on (4) 24mm motors, contained in the Boost Skirt, and there's a C6-3 in the capsule. It's a typical Lakeroadster style rocket, utilizing a custom turned Redwood / Pine nose cone and 1/4" plywood fins, sanded down to 3/16" th. I'll cant the front fins 10 degrees to induce some spin, to help with coast stability.

I did a quick study in CAD to see if there is room for the motors, and to see how the header would need to be made to route the booster motors to light the sustainer. Looks doable.

 

2025-07-28 Spent some time today fine tuning the internals of the design... specifically staging and parachutes.

 

 

 

 

 (BAR-52) The Pelican

This design started as a BT-80 shortened version of an Estes Starship Nova. Axe the Vertical Stabilizer and it looks a lot like a pelican in flight, well it does to me anyways.

It's a 29mm rear eject that uses a single G80 

 

 2025-07-16 Knocked out a CAD Model and some Preliminary Drawings.

 

 2025-07-17 Complete CAD Package

 

 2025-07-18 

Turned the Nose Cone pieces from Redwood. The 4x4 raw material was just a few bucks more, and it's so much easier to turn. Lighter too!

 

 2025-07-19 Head and Shoulders... knees and toes...

 

Started gluing the Upper Nose Cone to the Lower Nose Cone. Once this dries it'll get a big ole lag screw, or two, to hold the pieces in place.

 

 

 2025-07-20 Lagging the Nose Cones and Cutting Wings

Used a 1/2" Forstener Bit to drill down 1-1/4" into the Forward Nose Cone, then installed (2) #10 x 1-1/2" Long Simpson Structural Screws to secure the Forward Nose Cone to the Rear Nose Cone.​

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Then cut the Wings from 1/4" plywood and sanded / routed them to the final shape.​

 

Gluing the Forehead

 

  

 2025-07-22 Attaching the Wings to the C-80

Used my Fin Alignment Fixture​

 

Gluing the Down Extensions to the Wings

Simple matter of fixturing up the rocket and setting up the Down Extensions. They were then tacked with wood glue to set their positions.​ 

 

2025-07-24   Wings to Down Extensions: Glue Fillets and Dowels

In order to make the Wing to Down Extension joint Hell-For-Stout it needs an internal Dowel and heavy glue fillets. It's a bit time consuming but necessary. Some fixturing was required to hold everything in position to dry.​

 

2025-07-25 Under Wing Stuff

     Wing Fillets, Launch Lug, Lower Air Inlet​ 

 

2025-07-26 Upper Wing Glue Fillets and Tube Fins

Applied Gorilla Wood Glue to the upper side of the Wings where they attach to the C-80, and Titebond Quick and Thick was used at the C-80 Air Inlet at the C-80 interface.​

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Once those glue fillets were set-up, the 4" Tube Fins were fit-up and the initial glue fillets were applied to the C-80 / Tube Fins. I revised the design and space the Tube Fins out so they land at the top center of the C-80.​

 

2025-07-27 Tube Fin Wood Glue Fillets

 

 2025-07-28 Kevlar Anchor

Drilled the Nose Cone for the 3/8" Steel Dowel. It's a slight interference fit into the Nose Cone, and will be trapped by the C-80 Coupler.​

 

 

 2025-07-29 BT-80H Wrap

I measured the rocket and then layed out the pattern on the BT-80H, then started slicin' and dicin'.​

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Applied a liberal amount of Elmer's White Glue to the inside of the BT-80H and then installed the BT-80H over the C-80.​

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Then started to apply Gorilla Wood Glue and Titebond Q&T.​

 

 

2025-07-30 Nose Cone Installed

There's the Pelican!​

 

2025-08-01 Do I make you horny Baby ???? LOL

 

Cut the Nose Bump out of 1/4" Plywood, then sanded and routed it to shape. Some more glue fillets and The Pelican should be ready for CWF.

Still gotta make the recovery spool... might need to buy some BT-52H MF from BMS...