Design Notes
The Ambition-III is a spaceshot rocket designed for maximum efficiency. As a "sub-minimum diameter" rocket, its body and motor are one and the same, leaving no room for unnecessary weight.
Technical Specifications
Propellant
Type: Ammonium Perchlorate Composite Propellant
Mass: 76.0 kg (167.5 lbs)
Materials
Nozzle: Graphite potted in MSC
Thrust Chamber: S-2 Fiberglass
Insulative Liners and Bulkhead: MSC
Nose Cone: Fiberglass reinforced MSC
Nose Cone Tip: 3D-Printed Inconel Alloy
Masses
Gross Lift-Off Mass (GLOM): 184.00 kg (405.65 lbs)
Burnout Mass: 88.50 kg (195.11 lbs)
*Note: MSC refers to our insulative material, our experimental "Microsphere Composite," comprised of either Epoxy or Polyurethane and glass microspheres.
Nose Cone
Fast Facts:
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Nose Cone Profile: Von Karman Ogive
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Material: Fiberglass reinforced polymer
The nose cone has been optimized to minimize both mass and drag. The nose cone body is made of radio-transparent fiberglass for our avionics systems and tipped with a "bluffed" Inconel tip to survive aerodynamic heating.
Propellant
Fast Facts:
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Propellant Type: Ammonium Perchlorate Composite Propellant (APCP)
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The Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Boosters (SRB) used a type of APCP
The propellant has Ammonium perchlorate as an oxygen source, aluminum powder as fuel, and HTBP (polymer resin) as fuel and binding material. The "grain" has a hollow core to burn from the inside out.
Thrust Chamber
Fast Facts:
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Material: S-2 Fiberglass
The thrust chamber provides the primary structure of the rocket. It must be strong and rigid to contain the heat and pressure of the motor burn.
Nozzle
Fast Facts:
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De Laval Convergent-Divergent nozzle
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Material: Medium and Fine grain graphite
The nozzle facilitates a thermodynamic trade off, accelerating the hot and high temperature gasses to an ambient pressure high velocity stream. The two grades of graphite provide a balance of cost effectiveness and high stress performance.
Composite Fins
Fast Facts:
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Material: Fiberglass and MSC
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Number of Fins: 4
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Fin Shape: Trapezoidal
The fins keep the rocket flying straight. They are placed in the rear of the rocket, moving the center of pressure well behind the center of gravity, ensuring flight stability.