Serpent 1
Three motors, 450 meters
Vehicle Overview
Serpent 1 was designed as a test bed to learn how to build a rocket from scratch. Serpent 1 features three Estes E16-6 motors contained in a custom-designed motor mount for the 66mm airframe. The three fins that provide stability to the rocket were 3D-printed in carbon fiber. The rocket is constructed of two body tubes connected by a coupler. The lower body tube holds the engine mount and fins and the upper body tube stores the parachute and payloads.
The Road to Flight
The first version of Serpent 1 was designed in early 2021. This first design featured four small triangular fins connected to a single body tube with hot glue and a friction-fit motor mount. After discussing this design with experienced rocket hobbyists, we redesigned most of the rocket. The cardboard fins were replaced with wider carbon fiber fins, a second body tube was added extending the height of the rocket by 17 centimeters, and nosecone weights were added. In September of 2021, we made our first launch attempt, but stood down after a fin broke off of the rocket. Over winter, we began to simulate the rocket and added a larger parachute. These lessons and improvements led to the launch on February 16, 2022,
First Launch of a KSLS Rocket
At 17:12 P.M. on February 16, 2022, the igniters ignited each of the three motors, and the Serpent 1 quickly rose off the launch pad at a maximum acceleration of 101 m/s. The vehicle climbed to an altitude of ~433 meters in 8 seconds before the motors’ ejection charges deployed the parachute. Winds at higher altitudes carried the rocket approximately 1.7 kilometers East of the launch pad.
Completion of Objectives
Serpent 1 successfully completed all of our objectives for this flight. These objectives included successful ignition of all three motors, successfully clear the launch rod, survive flight forces, deploy parachutes, safely land, and recovery of payloads. The payloads onboard this flight were a paper frog named Wilbur and an altimeter. The success of this flight also marked the completion of the goal to demonstrate that KS Launch Systems can build a rocket from scratch that can tolerate high stress flight environments. The lessons and successes of Serpent 1 helped pave the way on our journey to develop a propulsively landing rocket.
