Launch Rail

I started designing a launch rail for the Yellow Jacket Space Program back in April 2020. Since then, the vehicle and ground support system requirements have changed a lot so my launch rail has been constantly adapting.

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The current and final launch rail is 40 feet tall and supported by six guy wires. The rail is mostly made of 6061 aluminum but the center section is made of welded low carbon steel plates. The rocket slides on custom stainless steel launch lugs on an 1.5" series 8020 aluminum channel.

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The most challenging part of this project was analyzing guy wire tensioning for a "guided mast" as it proved to be a complex dynamical system. Eventually, I coded a Matlab script that inputted the wind conditions and maximum allowable deflection, solved a set of differential equations, and finally outputted the required tension.

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Safety of all team members is my top priority and "going vertical" with the very tall structure could be dangerous if anything goes wrong. This is why my team is currently testing our procedures at the Georgia Tech's structural engineering laboratory.