IRIS+(Level+2)



Above image was taken just before the last fatal flight of the IRIS on a K550W at the IRW2008. More details of this flight can be seen on theIRW2008 wiki page.

The IRIS appeared on the Model Mania programme back in 2000 after it's second flight that carried the on-board video transmitter for the first time.

The IRIS was originally designed to fly on a core 38mm motor (J350W or a J570W), and 6 x 29mm single use motors (G40W mostly). The outboard motors were staged using a home built timer in the nose cone. This timer was activated by a magnet at the top of the launch rail as the rocket moved past on launch. The system worked first time at KLOB1999, but due to a failure of one of the outboard motors, the rocket separated at maximum velocity and came down heavy on a ripped parachute. It was repaired and next flew at the UKRA2000 event with the video transmitter. The largest motor I have ever flown in this rocket is a K660W.

The video from that flight was quite amazing considering the transmitter was an unmodified version (no Helical at that time). The reciever was a helical witha small copper groundplane made from PCB material. This deisgn was modified over a number of flights and different rockets. We managed to get nearly 10,0000 feet in the Mach 1 rocket camera rocket.

The rocket is 5 inches in diameter and all plastic. The fins are bolt on using aluminium T section bolted to the outside of the main body. Fins are made from Foamex. This material is fine for sub sonic rockets of this size so long as the fin cord is not too large, otherwise fin flex is a problem. See the video of Sean's Optima on a J350W to see what fin flutter can be like using this material. The fins on Sean's Optima had a much larger chord that the IRIS. We have had fins break off in flight!! [|Sean_Optima_J350W_UKRA2001.wmv]

The nose cone is home made from pink foam truned on a lathe and covered in fibre glass. The motor mount is removalbe so that different motor configurations can be installed and the motor mount inspected for damage etc.

Recovery is via a GWhizz (dual deployment) which has worked every time over some 20+ flights. The last flight failure was not due to teh GWhizz.

Later modifications included removing the video transmitter and installing a solid state Mustek digital video camera. This would has a screen resolution of 320X240 at 30fps. The image quality is better than the video transmitter (better lens mainly) and the image does not break up when the rocket arcs over or goes out of range. the only down side is that you will loose the flight recording if you loose the rocket!


 * In flight, ground launch and pad cam Videos of the IRIS**

[|IRW2008_IRIS_launch.avi] [|IRW2008_IRIS_padcam.avi] [|IRIS_K550W_fail_IRW2008.wmv] [|IRIS_L660_UKRA2006.wmv] [|UKRA_2006_IRIS_PADCAM.avi] [|IRW2006_IRIS_K660.avi] [|IRIS in flight IRW2005 K660.avi] [|IRIS padcam IRW2006 K660.avi] [|IRIS_K660_IRW2004.wmv] [|IRIS_K550W_IRW2001_launch2.wmv] [|IRIS_J350W_UKRA_2000.wmv]

Some images of the IRIS over the years from 1999 to 2008 (not in order)




 * [[image:IRIS_KLOB_1999_1.jpg width="393" height="576"]] || [[image:IRIS_KLOB_1999_3.jpg width="435" height="576"]] ||


 * [[image:IRIS_UKRA2001_K550W_1.jpg width="501" height="671"]] || [[image:IRIS_UKRA2001_K550W_2.jpg width="453" height="672"]] ||


 * [[image:IRIS_UKRA_2000_J350W_1.jpg width="370" height="482"]] || [[image:IRIS_UKRA_2000_J350W_2.jpg]] || [[image:IRIS_UKRA_2000_J350W_3.jpg width="362" height="481"]] ||


 * [[image:IRIS_UKRA_2000_1.jpg width="252" height="698"]] || [[image:IRIS_UKRA_2000_J350W_4.jpg width="267" height="213"]]



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