Below we discuss typical concepts of operations for rocket launchesRecovery.
The launch of a rocket is simple, as shown in the Concept of Operations (CONOPS) below:
Three recovery Three recovery CONOPS are as follows (in vague order of common-ness in the rocketry community):
Single Separation, Single Deploy:
This CONOPS is useful for lower-altitude flights. It is as simple as possible: one event separates two sections of the rocket, and recovery webbing keeps the two pieces connected. A chute is quicklinked to the webbing, and inflates upon being deployed from the rocket. Typically, the event occurs near apogee because the rocket has no vertical velocity, decreasing the chance for crazy things to happen upon deployment. However, single sep dual deploy is not as useful for high altitude flights because the safe speed at which rockets should fall under the parachute is relatively slow, meaning that the recovery system requires a larger parachute. For high-altitude flights, this leaves the rocket prone to drifting for up to several minutes, and possibly several miles.
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The drawback to DSDD is that electronics are required to detect the altitude at which the second event should occur, and initiate the second event. This system was used by the Team for Scylla.
Single Separation, Dual Deploy:
This is the most complex of the three CONOPS discussed here because it required two parachutes to be deployed out of a single separation in the rocket. It requires the drogue chute to pull out the main parachute at a target altitude. Like DSDD, this requires electronics. It also requires a restraint on the main chute which can be released at the target altitude. A COTS solution to this is the Tender Descender, which the Team has used in years past. The benefit to this system is that it only requires one body section to release two parachutes, which is beneficial if a large section of the body is needed for a payload.
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