This is the rocket I built for my attempt at Level 1 and Level 2 certification. It is a modified Apogee Zephyr kit. The basic kit uses a spiral-wound cardboard tube, plywood fins, a molded plastic nose cone and a motor mount tube for 38mm diameter motors. This results in a finished rocket 4 inches in diameter and over 4 feet tall. My differences from a standard Zephyr kit are:
- Added the Dual Deployment Conversion. This lengthens the rocket by 19 inches and provides an avionics bay to house the altimeter(s) and their deployment charges, tracking electronics, cameras or whatever other payload is desired.
- Added a forward centering ring to strengthen the motor mount tube with the expectation of using Level 2 motors.
- Added a laundry shelf in the booster tube to keep the recovery gear from sliding too far aft from launch acceleration.
- Beveled the fins. The fins are 1/4" plywood and are typically left square. The aero engineer in me just couldn't let that stand.
- Added an AeroPack motor retainer.
The avionics bay is where I really went crazy.
