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Welcome to the EXSA 'Smokey Nozzle' Rockets Database and Flight Logs network. This is where I, William Boersma, will record all of my personal model rocketry projects. As a nerd, I have divided them up into "programs" or Projects, as in "Project Mercury". Project Newcomer was my first "project" and involved building rocket kits to learn basic construction techniques and gain experience launching rockets. I also wanted to learn how to use trigonometry and physics to determine altitude, speed, etc. Currently I have three running "projects":

Project Theremin is flagship project and is my attempt to successfully design and build my own rocket from basic materials, not from a kit, and launch it and recover it successfully using an electronically controlled parachute deployment. Project Skyshot is Gemini to Theremin's Apollo. I will be learning mid-power rocketry with this program, since Theremin will probably be primarily mid-powered with low-power test vehicles due to the extra weight of the elctronics. I also want to experiment with dual deployment during Skyshot, but ultimatly on Theremin. Finally, perhaps my most ambitous plans yet are Project Ozymandias, to build a low-power model rocket capable of launching under rocket propulsion and then deploying on-board helicopter/drone propellers and safely destabalizing and decelerating to a soft landing. I also would like to develop a Return-to-Launch-Site (RTLS) version and a helicopter takeoff, mid-air ignition (HTMI) version in the future. However, Project Ozymandias has been blended with Project Theremin by making a version of Theremin with this type of recovery. Due to feasibility issues with the design and procedures of Ozymandias and the benefit of putting all my efforts into single project instead of three different ones, I realized that the electronics efforts in Theremin would make Ozymandias much easier, so the helicopter project is shelved for a bit until I learn electronics for rockets, etc. Skyshot and Ozymandias are almost sub-projects of Theremin now, only having small prototype vehicles left.

Engine Weight Chart

This chart shows the approximate weights of rocket engines to be used when determining the weight/mass of a rocket in flight, given the weight of the rocket and that 1 sheet of recovery wadding weighs ~5 x 10^-2 oz. Weight in grams is calculated from weight in ounces and thereforee has the same significant figures as them.

Updated on 2/22/2022 by William Boersma