30 january 2005, 190 psi launch of the 3.8L and mechanical timer release test


It was a hazy day, not so cold, around 5C,the humidity was close to 100%.
This was going to be the first in flight test of the mechanical timed release mechanism. I also decided to launch at 190 psi (13.1 bar) what would be my personal best pressure (maximum up to now was 180 psi). Timer was set to 6 seconds. Filled rocket with 1.5 liter water, this is well above optimum according to the simulator (0.7 liter). Pressurization went without a detectable leak the garden hose seal is holding out perfectly with these pressures.
Picture below from the rocket on the launchpad and the movie form the launch. You hear me shout now at the moment i saw the rocket reach its highest point, apogee after 5.7 sec. The simulator predicts a apogee height of 200 meter. Just after launch you see the white-yellow launchtube falling down.
At apogee the rocket almost was invisible in the low hanging clouds. About a second after apogee the chute opened and the rocket drifted away. Landed about 200 meter from the launchpad.

So both objectives from today's launch where successfull: the mechanical timer worked as expected and i increased my personal best launch pressure with 10 psi to 190.