ExCV - Extra Terrestrial Control Vehicle
The ExCV (Extraterrestrial Control Vehicle) is a prototype solid-fuel rocket designed to demonstrate fundamental rocketry concepts, including controlled flight and safe recovery. This low-cost project aims to achieve vertical launch, stable flight, and successful retrieval using a parachute deployment system.
- Structure and Materials: The ExCV features a lightweight cardboard body, chosen for its cost-effectiveness and ease of assembly. Its aerodynamic shape ensures minimal air resistance during flight. The nose cone houses the parachute, stored in a compressed state, and is designed to open upon activation of a secondary fuse system.
- Propulsion System: The rocket is powered by a solid-fuel mixture consisting of:
- 1.Sugar as a fuel
- 2.Potassium nitrate as the oxidizer.
- 3.Sulphur to enhance combustion.
- 4.Ferric oxide as a catalyst.
- Electronics and Stability: The ExCV incorporates an onboard gyroscope to maintain stability during flight, ensuring a straight and upward trajectory. This system minimizes deviations caused by wind or minor imperfections in construction, increasing accuracy and reliability.
- Recovery Mechanism: Once the fuel is completely burned, a secondary fuse ignites to activate the recovery system. The nose cone opens, deploying the parachute. This mechanism allows the rocket to descend safely, enabling recovery and potential reuse of rocket.
The ExCV project is an educational initiative blending engineering, physics, and chemistry, providing hands-on experience in rocketry design, propulsion, and recovery.
