MDRA Launch – 2-4-2024

After Action Review 2/4 Launch

Lessons Learned

• Get length of rail and angle of rail to accurately compare to simulation.

Packing

• The packing checklist worked pretty good. There was some friction with the way categories were organized. Example: We had extra battery's for avionics on as a check item but those went in the avionics storage box, which is also a pack item.
• We should have a high level list for all the boxes that get packed and have sub-lists for the boxes and what goes in them. That way there is no confusion when packing and we can have better labeling packing.
• Need a single person that is a Launch Director. The Launch Prep checklist should have a single person assigned with the responsibility of researching those items and disseminating as a team. We did it as a team and it was not effective.
• Recommended personal gear should be a part of the launch directors weather discussion. There were a few missed items like Rob's beanie.

Rocket Pre-Prep

• GPS tracking almost turned into a disaster because the battery connected reversed polarity to the switch. The battery connector has a tab so it only goes in one way, but the pins connected long enough in reverse to really heat up the connector. The switch would not work immediately afterward. After 30 minutes, we tried again and the switch worked but the polarity of activation switched. We left the battery connected and came back the next day. The battery was drained and would not turn on. It turns out the switch is now draining current. It will need to be replaced.
• The camera installation is god awful in the following ways:
  • Covers are damn near impossible to install. The thumbscrews are installed blind with a hand in each side of the av-bay tube.
  • The cameras have to be put into all together along with the straight cover because of the wiring. This is awkward as well.
  • When you install the avbay you have to work the rods and igniter wires around the camera assembly. It would be nice if there was a more convenient way.
• Need to rethink the camera situation. Either a hatch or some sort of slidable cover that can be locked into place.
  • If you use the hatch, you can install the electronics for the cameras on the rods and then connect to the cameras after the av-bay is buttoned up on each end.

Launch Prep

• Having a rocket completely prepped the day of ready to go on the pad is the way to go. After watching so many people struggle with their rockets it's definitely a must have.
• Need to have a tote/defined toolbox with the launch prep items that can go out to the pad. It needs to have slots and pouches for the things like sandpaper, magnets, dikes, etc.
• Need procedures for setting up cameras. The one ground camera wasn't positioned correctly and the other was just positioned correctly by sheer luck. Need some templates for distances and angles.
• Not having a way to verify the rocket cameras were on were a major pucker factor.
• Need a step stool to better reach the mag switches. Rob was holding the template on his tip toes for quite a while.

Flight

• The upward facing camera suffered a SD card error. It wrote the log file but wouldn't write video. Need to figure out why it threw the error and how to prevent it/test for it.
• Need to rethink the main chute configuration. The main chute came out of the deployment bag at apogee. It got snagged on the main line and was held partially closed until the TD-2 fired. I think what happened was blowing both peregrines and the shock of the airstream flipped the D-Bag upside down and out of the small section of body tube. We need to figure out a different configuration. I do think we can add 4in of body tube to keep the D-Bag completely in the body tube at all times and be fine.
• Launch harness was hard to locate. Rob suggested adding reflective tape. I think making sure the pickup team knows it's going to get flung forward of the pads is enough.

Cleanup

• Need a set of picks added to the cleanup list.
• Need a 2nd rocket stand in case we launch 2 or more rockets. One stand for cleaning and one for launching. Also need to figure out storage.
• If we are launching multiple rockets, do we cleanup after each rocket or prioritize getting all rockets in the air? If we are cleaning up while or before conducting flight ops, we should have instructions/SOPs and have a designated cleanup team.
• Need checklists for rocket shutdown and clean up.
• Need a hand cleaning gel/cream for after cleaning rockets. Nate suggests Goo Gone and some extra water for rinsing. (This can be avoided if we used the gloves?)
• Add a roll of regular paper towels to the checklist.