OT - so cool!

[Doc B]

Bottlehead Dr. Debra Koloms has just posted her latest rocket launch to FB. 10,000 ft, 477 MPH, perfect flight. Holy smokes!

https://www.facebook.com/debra.koloms/videos/1138996666702469

I should also mention that Debra has been posting phenomenal astrophotos lately. Amazingly talented woman.

 

[johnsonad]

That was cool!  Made me a little dizzy but I'll live

 

[Thermioniclife]

Sweet Flight Deb. At what altitude did your main chute deploy?

 

[diynewbie]

You can call me nerd, but what is the purpose of the small chute with the red cloth between the two rocket stages?

 

[debk]

Wow, Thanks for posting this on the forum, and the comments

The main chute was deployed at 1000ft.

The small orange cloth is a Nomex chute protector, it keep the hot ejection gasses from damaging the drogue chute.  The main was in a Nomex deployment bag.

The purpose of the drogue chute is to help stabilize the rocket as it fall from apogee to the main chute deployment altitude.  Using this drogue to main deployment the rocket does not drift far downrange.

Debra