| Title | F3-LOKI |
|---|---|
| Author | Freedom |
| Description | The F-3 Loki is a 4in diameter Tri-Cluster model rocket powered by a trio of H148R motors and advanced sensory systems. And data from these systems will be sent to a ground station in real time. |
| Created_At | 2026-08-10 |
Total Time Spent: 4 Hours
I accidentally forgot to pause the lapse a few times so I went back through it and I spent about 4 hours actually doing work compared to the 6 that were recorded. Anyways, I spent today gathering info and data to add to my pitch for it to get funded. I just finished my L1 certification so I feel confident in the feasibility of the project. This is the BOM I came up with for now:
| Category | Component Description | Unit Price | Qty | Subtotal | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rocket Body | Nose Cone | $27.18 | 1 | $27.18 | |
| Rocket Body | Lower Airframe | $17.62 | 1 | $17.62 | |
| Rocket Body | Centering Rings | $10.95 | 1 | $10.95 | |
| Rocket Body | Upper Airframe | $17.77 | 2 | $35.54 | |
| Rocket Body | Motor Mount Tubes | $15.00 | 3 | $45.00 | |
| Rocket Body | Quick Links | $2.53 | 4 | $10.12 | |
| Rocket Body | Electronics Bay | $39.59 | 1 | $39.59 | |
| Rocket Body | Shock Cords (Nylon) | $15.00 | 2 | $30.00 | |
| Rocket Body | Shock Cord (Kevlar) | $20.00 | 1 | $20.00 | |
| Rocket Body | Rail Guides | $5.06 | 1 | $5.06 | |
| Rocket Body | Coupler | $16.00 | 2 | $32.00 | |
| Rocket Body | Motor Retainers | $6.50 | 3 | $19.50 | |
| Rocket Body | Chute Release | $140.00 | 1 | $140.00 | |
| Rocket Body | NOMEX Blankets | $11.00 | 2 | $22.00 | Approximate |
| Rocket Body | Recovery Wadding (Dogbarf) | $5.00 | 1 | $5.00 | |
| Rocket Body | Parachute (Main) | $40.00 | 1 | $40.00 | |
| Rocket Body | Parachute (Drogue) | $20.00 | 1 | $20.00 | |
| Rocket Body | Plywood (Fins) | $30.00 | 1 | $30.00 | |
| Rocket Body | L-Brackets | $16.00 | 1 | $16.00 | |
| Rocket Body | Rocket Motors | $70.00 | 3 | $210.00 | |
| Rocket Body | Hazmat Shipping Fee | $150.00 | 1 | $150.00 | |
| Electronics | Featherweight Swift GPS (or similar) | $365.00 | 1 | $365.00 | Flight computer / tracking |
| Electronics | Teensy 4.1 microcontroller (or similar) | $32.00 | 1 | $32.00 | Main flight controller |
| Electronics | BMI088 IMU (or similar) | $20.00 | 1 | $20.00 | |
| Electronics | ADXL375 Accelerometer (or similar) | $22.00 | 1 | $22.00 | High-G data logging |
| Electronics | BMP585 Barometer (or similar) | $5.00 | 1 | $5.00 | Altitude Reading |
| Electronics | microSD card | $20.00 | 1 | $20.00 | Telemetry logging |
| Electronics | LiPo Battery System (Servos) | $60.00 | 1 | $60.00 | Dedicated actuation power |
| Electronics | Fuse | $0.00 | 1 | $0.00 | Price omitted in source |
| Electronics | Switch | $0.00 | 1 | $0.00 | Price omitted in source |
| Electronics | LiPo Battery System (Teensy) | $50.00 | 1 | $50.00 | Dedicated logic power |
| Electronics | Fuse | $0.00 | 1 | $0.00 | Price omitted in source |
| Electronics | Switch | $0.00 | 1 | $0.00 | Price omitted in source |
| Electronics | 5V Regulator | $0.00 | 1 | $0.00 | Price omitted in source |
| Electronics | Five 4-Wire Servos | $50.00 | 5 | $250.00 | For active controls |
| Electronics | Airbrake Components | $100.00 | 1 | $100.00 | Hardware & brackets |
| Electronics | Grid Fin Components | $100.00 | 1 | $100.00 | Hardware & brackets |
| Buffers | PCB Manufacturing & 3D Printing Buffer | $120.00 | 1 | $120.00 | Filaments, resins, fab house |
| Buffers | Shipping & Taxes Buffer | $70.00 | 1 | $70.00 | Misc logistics fees |
| TOTAL PROJECTED COST | $2,139.56 | Estimated (~$2,140) |
Total Time Spent: 3.2 Hours
I just got my pitch approved for funding so I began working on the body design of the rocket. I decided to move forward with either the H148R or H130W rocket motors even though they are reloadable (meaning they come disassembled) which might pose a risk of explosion if I assemble them wrong. But I'm pretty confident in the success of the rocket so it shouldn't be a problem. Here's a rundown of the parts I decided to start off with for the rocket body itself:
- 2x 34" Airframes; 4" Diameter
- Electronics Bay; Shown in OpenRocket as a Coupler
- Ogive Nosecone; Might add epoxy as a mass ballast to bring the CG up
- 2x Rail Guides
- 15" 3/8in Tubular Nylon Shock Cord
- 12" 3/8in Tubular Nylon Shock Cord
- 15" 1/4in Tubular Kevlar Shock Cord
- 4 Quick Links
- 2 Nickel Plated Swivels
- 3x 14" Motor Mount Tubes; 38mm Diameter
- 3x Cluster Centering Rings
- 50" Parachute
- 24" Parachute
- Plywood Fins
- 3x Plastic Retainers
- Misc L Brackets, Screws, and Rivets
Total Time Spent: 5.8 Hours
Today I decided to adjust the scope of the project so that the rocket will be able to withstand supersonic stresses generated from L2 motors. I'm almost 18 and I think it would be nice if this rocket could also be used with stronger motors if I just choose to switch out the fins via the screwed on L brackets that allow me to do so. So since I want this rocket to be usable with higher power motors (Specifically the K1127LB-14A) I upgraded the materials a bit and chose to change the composition of a lot of the parts to Phenolic and Fiberglass to improve durability. Specifically the plan is:
- A Pre-glassed aft 34" airframe permanently coupled with a Phenolic DIY fiberglassed 36" airframe. The coupler between the two will be a 36" Phenolic tube with a slightly smaller diameter.
- 1/4in Plywood fins, 1/4in Plywood centering rings, and a whole set of Phenolic motor mount tubes to handle the potential heat from L2 rockets.
- Plastic foam-filled weighted LOC nosecone to ensure it withstands the potential Mach 2 forces of stronger motors.
- A completely Kevlar shock cord system with 5/16" quick links rated for 1760 lbs. along with a Phenolic E-bay and a set of NOMEX blankets that are both 12in squares compared to the "1 small 1 big" setup from before.
- Metal retainers for strength
So I just made sure that this rocket will at least last or withstand the thrust produced by most L2, 38mm Motors I'll be looking to cluster into this rocket. The images below show the potential L2 build (Top) and the potential normal L1 build (bottom):
And the only thing that will really have to change between the two models is the fin height. So I'll stick with the modularity idea I had from before and keep the ability to screw and unscrew them via multiple heavy duty L brackets with the screws taped over for security. Not really sure if it will work or not since I'm the first to do this but I think it'll be fine 😅
Total Time Spent: 0.2 Hours
Started the day off in the morning and fixed a Github journaling error that didn't allow my hours to sync onto forge. Previously, I had "Total Hours Spent" instead of "Total Time Spent" and I guess it couldn't register because my wording was off. Fixed it all now though.
