Taking a Look at the New AeroTech RMS-EZ Reloads

AeroTech has recently released the first loads in the RMS-EZ line of reloads, the I161W-14A, The I357T-14A, and the I211W-14A. These reloads are the first to feature the new RMS-EZ all-in-one delay system which promises to reduce errors and simplify the building of these reloads.

Sirius Rocketry has received stock of these reloads and has them in our hands, so let's take a look!

The RMS-EZ reloads are packaged in same type of packaging as the newer AeroTech DMS (Disposable Motor System) single-use motors. Like the DMS motors, the RMS-EZ reloads have a label with motor information and a thrust curve on the outside of the tube. Inside, a bag holds all the reload parts. 

Our example for today is the I211W-14A reload, a four-grain White Lightning motor for the 38/480 case, or larger cases with the use of the Reload Adapter System (RAS). One particular part of the Reload Adapter System is very handy to have, for reasons we will see in a little while. When we open the bag, we get the typical reload parts, instructions, and a smaller bag of parts.

Most of these parts are the same as will be found in a typical RMS-Plus reload kit. You have (from top-to-bottom, left to right): liner tube, propellant grains, FirstFire igniter, aft o-ring, forward o-ring, aft insulator, forward seal disk o-ring (in motors that require it) or a forward insulator, nozzle, nozzle cap, ejection charge plug, ejection charge powder and the new RMS-EZ modular bulkhead.

This is the new RMS-EZ modular bulkhead, taking the place of most of the standard forward closure assembly. It incorporates a 14-second delay, adjustable with the use of the Universal Delay Adjustment Tool (UDDT).

A view of the rear of the bulkhead shows the 14-second delay train already potted in place, eliminating many of the delay parts from the assembly of the forward closure in standard RMS-Plus reloads.

A view of the front of the bulkhead shows the front of the delay grain and the ejection charge well This is the end with the tap hole where you would drill the delay grain to the proper delay needed.

The Universal Delay Drilling Tool is used to drill the delay down to the required length in two or four second increments.  The tool, like the two other tools for the RMS motors that are available use a 1/16" washer to space for certain 2-second increments.  A 1/32" washer could be substituted if necessary for even finer control in 1-second increments.

Similar to LMS motors and many reloads, the reload includes a plug to retain the ejection charge.  After drilling your delay to the required length, you add your ejection charge powder, and retain it by pushing the internally-installed red vinyl cap down into the ejection well. Gone are the days of paper discs retaining ejection charges, large hard red caps, or amazing tricks with masking tape!

The RMS-EZ uses all the standard RMS casings, and the standard rear closures, but since most of the standard function of the forward closure is now duplicated by the new RMS-EZ modular bulkhead, you can put your standard RMS forward closures aside. You will need the Forward Closure Retaining Ring out of your Reload Adapter System (RAS). The RMS-EZ molded modular bulkhead is very much like the Floating Forward Closure in the RAS, and can be used in the same way with longer casings and the RAS grain spacers.

If you do not already have a RAS Forward Closure Retaining Ring, these are also available separately.

The forward end of a RMS Casing showing how the Forward Closure Retaining Ring is used to retain the RMS-EZ modular bulkhead.

The RMS-EZ modular closure with its integrated 14-second delay and the Forward Closure Retaining Ring at the left take the place of the (at right): Standard forward closure, delay spacers of various lengths for various delays, delay grains of various lengths for various delays, delay insulators, delay o-rings and delay washers.


The first reloads to be offered in the line include the I161W-14A, I357T-14A (fits RMS-38/360 hardware) and I211W-14A (fits RMS-38/480 hardware). The traditional RMS-Plus style of reloads remain available for these motors while stock lasts, as AeroTech transitions from the old style to the new style EZ motors on these items.

AeroTech also says that additional RMS-EZ reload kits are under development including those in 29mm and 54mm diameter.

The new RMS-EZ system, with less parts to worry about helps to eliminate much of the assembly of the RMS motor at the delay end where most of the mistakes seem to be made. Less parts at the delay end means fewer delay train errors and faster assembly, and faster assembly time means more flying time on the field!

A huge selection of in-stock AeroTech Hobby Line and High-Power rocket kits, motors and supplies are available along with thousands of other great rocketry products from the world's finest hobby rocketry manufacturers at the Sirius Rocketry Online Store. 

Model Rocket Building

Connections 1:

Chris Michaelsson has a nice model rocket building blog at http://www.modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com/ . Chris is the founder of Odd'l Rockets and does a lot of work for some of the other rocket manufacturers, whether it is building models or illustrating manuals. One of the features of his blog is that he often steps you through the builds of various models and shares some tips along the way.

Interrogator Build on the Model Rocket Building Blog

Chris Michielsson's Model Rocket Building Blog is an interesting blog that covers building many model rockets from a long-time rocketeer's perspective. Chris is also the owner of Odd'l Rockets, the maker of "odd" rockets and useful accessories for the model rocketeer. Sirius Rocketry carries many of his products in the Sirius Rocketry Online Store in the Odd'l Rockets category.

Interrogator Parts from Chris Michielsson's Model Rocket Building Blog

The Model Rocket Building Blog is currently working on building a standard (18mm) Sirius Rocketry Interrogator. As is typical with the blogs' builds, Chris takes you step-by-step through the build with some techniques, ideas, and observations he has picked up along the way.

Check out the Sirius Rocketry Interrogator build:
Building the Sirius Rocketry Interrogator on the Model Rocket Building Blog

Sirius Rocketry Transition Series Eradicator Now Available!

The Sirius Rocketry Transition Series Eradicator Is Now Available!

We are proud to announce the general availability of the new Sirius Rocketry Transition Series Eradicator! 

The Eradicator is the latest Mid/High power rocket in our "Transition Series" of rocket kits.  Transition Series rockets (like the new Eradicator and the ever-popular Interrogator G) are rockets that can be flown as mid-power rockets, and then be flown as a high-power rocket on an H for your level 1 certification! Transition series rockets have features like thicker walled body tubes, Kevlar shock cord mount, motor retention hardware, laser-cut aircraft plywood centering rings and fins, ripstop nylon parachute, rail buttons AND launch lugs supplied standard, and other features that make them rugged flyers - great to "transition" into high power rocketry or just have fun with larger hobby rocketry F and G motors!

The Eradicator features a unique strake/ring/tail fin assembly, dual stepped body tube diameters with interesting "vaned" transition, plastic nose cone, and as usual, our trademark waterslide decal sheets with plenty of interesting detail to add!

More information about the Eradicator is on the main Sirius Rocketry website here, and you can purchase the eradicator in the Sirius Rocketry Online Store here!

Taking a Look at the New AeroTech DMS H135W-14A Single-Use Motor

Thought I might share a look at one of the new motors in the AeroTech Pro-SU DMS (Disposable Motor System) line of single-use motors with adjustable delays. The motors ship with a long delay that can be adjusted down to the needed delay with the new Pro-SU DMS Universal Delay Drilling Tool.

The first available in the series is the H135W-14A, a White Lightning motor with an adjustable 14-second max delay, which is shipped in a cardboard tube with motor specs and a thrust curve on the side.

Here we read:

Total Impulse: 226 N-sec
Burn Time: 1.7 Sec.
Peak Thrust: 34 lbs (152 N)
Delay Time: 14 sec max (adjustable)
Propellant Weight: 121 grams (4.27 oz.)
Loaded Weight: 211 Grams (7.44 oz.)

 

Removing the cap from the end of the shipping tube reveals the motor, igniter/initiator, instructions and ejection charge sealed in an anti-static bag as well as a (bottom, L-to-R) thrust ring, which you can CA to the aft end of the motor, the ejection charge cap, and the igniter holder/nozzle cap. 

The initial shipment of these H motors contained the wrong size nozzle cap, but AeroTech was quick to fix the problem, and all our stock has the correct size nozzle caps.

Opening the anti-static bag, here we see the instructions wrapped around the motor, as well as rubber bands that you can use to help retain the igniter before you put the cap on, and the Igniter and BP ejection charge packaged in a plastic bag.

The motor is made of a filament-wound fiberglass casing, with a phenolic nozzle potted into the business end, and a new molded plastic ejection charge holder in the forward end.  The Igniter is a long FirstFire with lots of pyrogen on the tip. The BP for ejection is packaged like in the reloadable RMS motors.

A look at the nozzle end.

A look at the new plastic ejection well.

 The included thrust ring can be glued to the aft end of the casing and fits snugly. Some good CA or epoxy should do nicely here.

 The Universal Delay Drilling Tool is used to drill the delay down to the required length in two second increments.  The tool, like the two other tools for the RMS motors that are available use a 1/16" washer to space for certain 2-second increments.  A 1/32" washer could be substituted if necessary for even finer control in 1-second increments.

 The ejection charge is added and the ejection charge cap is inserted to keep the charge in place. This completes the prep of the motor.  Add your igniter and nozzle cap at the pad and fly!

Before the days of reloads, single-use motors were the norm in high-power rocketry. Reloads are fun for the "fiddle factor", which I enjoy immensely. It is the construction of a reload that puts some "rocket science" in my hobby and is something I enjoy greatly.  However there are times you just want to stick a motor in and fly, and the Pro-SU DMS series will be great for that.  Just remember you pay a little more to have someone else assemble the guts of the motor for you.  This would also be a great motor for level 1 certifications, as it will take away some of  the prep you would have to worry about with a reload.

Other similar motors in the Pro-SU   DMS line under development now available include a 38mm I140W-14A and J270W-14A,  These motors are perfect for Level 1 & 2 certifications and general sport flying and will also be priced competitively with similar reloads.

The H135W-14A Pro-SU DMS motor is available today at the Sirius Rocketry Online Store.

* The AeroTech Pro SU name has been changed to DMS (Disposable Motor System). By any other name it is a high-power single-use motor. 

Welcome!

The Sirius Rocketry Saturn V on an AeroTech I284.

Welcome to the Sirius Rocketry Blog!

Hello everyone! 

Dave from Sirius Rocketry here.  Sirius Rocketry has  been around for 14 years now (really - has it been that long?), and we have really enjoyed the friends we have made over the years.  This new Sirius Rocketry blog will be one of the many ways we can talk with our favorite people - our customers.

Every day I come across interesting rocketry stories, new product information, real-space exploration news, news on what my rocketry friends are doing and more.  It is my hope to share some of those interesting items here, and also point you to some interesting things that you may not know about Sirius Rocketry, one of the best-kept secrets in hobby rocketry.

I have been involved in hobby rocketry since 1969 when I was yet a smaller human, and have contributed to the hobby ever since.  The business of Sirius Rocketry is only the most recent form of how I have been able to contribute, but also one of the most rewarding.

It is my hope that I can bring items of interest to the hobby rocketeer here as well as items for the sci-fi and science geek and more. I also have a little rocketry nostalgia that I may dig out from time to time if you are interested.  Of course, some Sirius Rocketry news and business will be mixed in, but this is not the only reason for this blog. And some Sirius Rocketry history tidbits will also find it's way into this blog from time to time.

My favorite things are rocketry history, both real and hobby rocketry, history of NAR, Tripoli, NASA, NACA and more, and what we have done and what we hope to do.

And, a few sci-fi and fantasy shows on the side...

I just hope space and science fans enjoy, and stop by our site once in a while! :-)

David

The "Serious Guy"

Sirius Rocketry

In the photo: The Sirius Rocketry Saturn V launched on an AeroTech I284W-M trimmed down to a seven-second delay, just about ideal for the stock build of the kit.