Level 1 Rocketry Projects

Panther Mini was my Level 1 certification project. This rocket, although fairly simple, served as a great stepping stone into my future rocketry developments. 

This was my first rocketry project where I applied a fiberglass lamination on the fin set. For this, a single layer of fiberglass cloth was laminated with 15-minute epoxy on the air frame and fins. Although it wasn't perfect (and probably overkill for this project), it provided me with a great entryway into refining my composite lamination skills. 

This 3" rocket, faithfully named Trash Rocket, was my first ever scratch-built rocketry project. Every component for this rocket was either salvaged (hence the name) or designed and 3D printed by me. 

The airframe itself was a 3" diameter, thick cardboard tube that worked great for this purpose. The motor mounting structure was a 1.5" diameter PVC pipe that was cut to size. The fins, motor tube centering rings, and nose cone were all and 3D printed with PLA.

Despite the appearance and backstory behind this rocket's development, it remains as one of my straightest and most nominal flights to date!