Modification Validation Vehicle

Name:	Ozymandias MVV
Designation:	OZY-001
Type:	Estes Baby Bertha (modified)
Recovery System:	Parachute
Builder:	William Boersma
Project:	Project Ozymandias
Maiden Flight:	21 May 2022
Status:	Active

Ozymandias Modification Validation Vehicle (OZY-001)

The Ozymandias Modification Validation Vehicle (OZY-001), or MVV for short, is the first rocket of Project Ozymandias whose original purpose was to test the stability of the Ozymandias rocket design during ascent and as many other modifications to the Baby Bertha model as possible with out actually attempting a propeller recovery. This is similar in function to how the Gemini program was designed to test out as many skills and systems for Project Apollo with out actually going to the Moon.

Design

I started work on the MVV on March 1st, 2022. The Baby Bertha kit used for OZY-001 was a Christmas present and was originally going to be Project Newcomer rocket and join in similarity tests with Newcomer 3 and Newcomer 5 to test the differences inbetween rocket kits.

Its original purpose was to test the stability of the Ozymandias rocket design during ascent and as many other modifications to the Baby Bertha model as possible with out actually attempting a propeller recovery. This is similar in function to how the Gemini program was designed to test out as many skills and systems for Project Apollo with out actually going to the Moon.

OpenRocket and Change of Plans

At the March 2022 SRA launch I talked with a rocketeer there and learned about a rocket design and flight simulation program called OpenRocket. I had only heard of RockSim, which is over $100 and my budget, so I had decided not to try and simulate the Ozymandias' stability on a computer and just build one to launch. However, he told me OpenRocket was free and had mostly all the same features that RockSim had. I decided I would definetly try that out when I got home. I hadn't finished building OZY-001 yet at the time of the launch, I hadn't installed the propeller motor mass simulator yet. So, the next day I was thinking about it and decided that before I finished it as a "Modification Validation Vehicle", I would check out OpenRocket. If I could prove it was stable on the simulation, I might just use OZY-001 as Ozymandias I and install a real propeller into it.

Over the course of the following month, I did download OpenRocket and read some tutorials on the wiki about how to use it, and made a model of my MVV. I haven't learned all the features yet, but I think it is safe to say it flies fairly stable. So, this would essentially negate the need for an MVV, at least I thought. I decided to build OZY-001 as Ozymandias I and install a real propeller in it and attempt a powered recovery using it. However, these plans wouldn't last long.

Trail Life Badge and Change of Plans Again

In early April, I returned to the idea of making OZY-001 an MVV. Although I earned my Freedom Award and completed the Trail Life program, I was still in highschool and technically still and Adventurer trailmen. Although I could not earn badges officially in the organization, my troop has said that since I am still technically a youth member I could "unofficially" earn a badge and still get the physical award, it just would not be recorded with Trail Life National. Shortly after earning my Freedom Award, our patrol started working on the model rocketry elective badge, but at the time I didn't know I could still earn the badge unofficially. I still attended all those meetings out of interest though, so I got all the requirements for the badge that we need then.

To complete the badge now, all I would need to do outside what I have done up to this point at Trail Junction and SRA launches is design, build and launch my own rocket, aswell as do some research on two famous rocket scientists/aerospace engineers. I have already done the research, for Werhner von Braun the only research point I didn't already know by memory was his degree (PhD in Physics), and I found it very interesting to learn about Hermann Oberth, who actually taught von Braun. As for the first requirement, at first it seems like Project Theremin would be perfect for the job, but I must launch this rocket at the next SRA launch, as I believe the next (and last for me) awards ceremony is next month. Although OZY-001 is actually just an Estes Baby Bertha, I changed the fin shape and designed the entire rocket with those modifications in OpenRocket, (which is actually mentioned in the badge. It was right under my nose!) I think that if I also make the "fairing" modifications to the nosecone I have in mind that it would count as designing, building my own rocket, even though the fairings cannot be accurately represented in OpenRocket.

For this reason, I have decided to attempt to complete OZY-001 as an MVV, not just for the original reasons but also to earn the Trail Life Model Rocketry elective badge in time for the award ceremony. I have discovered that the technical aspects of building the nose-doors is actually quite complicated, and I am not exactly sure of the best way to turn the hollow plastic nosecone into two opening doors. This is the limiting factor to making the April SRA launch with OZY-001, and the fact I am completely out of B- and C-power engines from my previous flights. I will have to go to Hobby Lobby before then, as that is the only place I know where you can buy model rocket parts around here. In a worst case scenario, I would have to buy engines from the vendor at the actual launch, but I have never done that before and don't want to assume he will have what I need. I have also heard a few people voicing their disatisfaction with his service walking by, like getting a "sparky" engine with out knowing it, for example. I had kind of decided to try not to test my own luck with him, since I planned to always come prepared to a launch anyway.

Unfortunetly, I was unable to make the April SRA launch for OZY-001, or buy more engines. I did get to launch NC-IV Ascention on an A-power engine, however. My new plan is to try and complete the fairings for the MVV and then launch it at Yellow Park on an 1/2A-power engine, which I discovered is low enough to fly there with Newcomer II. This will allow me to launch before the award ceremony with out having to wait for a monthly launch. I talked with my Dad, who is the troopmaster, and he said that the May award ceremony might actually be after the May SRA launch, so I might actually have a Plan C, too.

Nosecone Hook and New Extended Mission

However, I made a slight change in plans again in late April. I realized that the MVV is identical to the final Ozymandias phase 1 design except for the ejection piston/propeller unit. If I could remove the mass simulator and parachute after the test flight, I could just reuse the same rocket. This would save alot of time, as sanding and gluing the rocket together takes time. But bcause of the taper of the nose cone the width of the shoulder, once I glued the nosecone in place, I couldn't add an ejection piston; it wouldn't fit in. I knew there had to be some way around this.

I realized that if instead of gluing the nosecone on, I made it detachable somehow, I could use the same rocket to test the parachute, ejection piston and final propeller recovery all on the same rocket, but progreesivly and not at the same time. I developed a hook system with a rubberband to keep the nosecone in place during flight, but that I can easily remove. This is when I canceled plans for the Ejection Piston Test Vehicle "EPTV" (OZY-002) rocket, which would have been the same rocket as the original MVV, but with the piston inplace and the parachute attached to that. Now, I will simply add a piston with a paracute to the MVV and fly the "EPTV" test there, and finally add a piston with a propeller for the final test.

This new design for the MVV will allow me to more rapidly perform iterative tests of the Ozymandias vehicle, since the only real change will be to the piston unit, and possibly the nosecone, both of which are removable and replaceable now.

While thinking about this, I realized that this means that the MVV is really more like Ozymandias I then simply an MVV. I considered changing the name, but I had already written the name on the rocktet by the time I decided I thought that made more sense. The nomenclature doiesn't make as much sense anymore either, since it is 'OZY-001' with the first zero meanig it is a prototype, when it will actually become a full flight vehicle eventually. However, I have decided to call my next rocket (OZY-101) Ozymandias II. I was origianlly planning for this to be the first propeller-enabled rocket, but since the MVV will do that now, it really won't be the 'first' at anything, so it is really Ozymandias II and the MVV is Ozymandias I.

See Also

• Ozymandias MEP, the non-flying mock-up created prior to Ozymandias MVV.
• Ozymandias ATV, the subsequent atmospheric test vehicle in Project Ozymandias.
• Ozymandias II, the subsequent heli-rocket in Project Ozymandias.

Flight Log

"SRA-CLS" stand for the Spaceport Rocketry Association's Compound Launch Site.

Image Gallery

Hover over images to read the "tool tip" info about them, and click to open it full size in another tab.

Updated 5/21/2022 by William Boersma