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Announcing the Chip Can Challenge Contest

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Emma Humphries

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Jan 10, 2025, 3:38:49 AMJan 10
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As announced at Sunday's Snow Ranch launch last Sunday, here's the rules for the Chip Can Challenge Contest LUNAR's holding this flying season:


The C3 challenge is an altitude contest for teams building a rocket out of a can of those hyperbolic paraboloid potato crisps. There are three motor classes for 24mm, 29mm, and whatever you can fit into a Pringle's can and fly safely!

If you want a starting point, I've published 3D printable files for a chip can rocket, and an Open Rocket file at Printables: https://www.printables.com/model/1142198-chip-can-challenge-builders-kit

If you have questions, reply here and start a thread. I'll bring my chip can rockets to next Wednesday's Build Night on the 15th.

Start building and be ready to fly at February's Snow Ranch launch! You have until the season ends at the Ranch to get your qualifying flights in.

Emma Humphries (they/she)
LUNAR Board of Directors (at large)
NAR 27698

Chris Dunn

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Jan 10, 2025, 10:33:58 AMJan 10
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Emma,

My kids are already coming up with some ideas for this. Couple of clarifying questions, are any size of cans viable (IE: snack size vs full height can)? Assuming the cans need to stay intact (IE: full length, so no shorting them)? Based on the example photos it looks like cutting off the metal rings at the top and bottom are OK?

-Chris

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do...@eljay.org

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Jan 10, 2025, 11:26:23 AMJan 10
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Oh, that’s fun.  Thanks for taking this on.

I assume any kind of reputable altimeter is OK for checking altitude?  (Estes/Jolly Logic/FlightSketch/???)

Doug


Emma Humphries

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Jan 10, 2025, 8:21:46 PMJan 10
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Hi Chris,

Yes, I've clarified in the rules that a snack or full height can is allowed, as is removing the top rolled paper ring and/or the bottom metal ring/end cap. And modifying the can with fin slots or holes for rail buttons is allowed.

Thanks for your question,

Emma H

Emma Humphries

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Jan 10, 2025, 8:23:57 PMJan 10
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The ARC approved altimeters are strongly recommended, as in the rules. Those are the Jolly Logic Altimeter One and Two, and the Perfect Flite Firefly and PNut.

Thanks,

Emma H

William Kellermann

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Jan 11, 2025, 12:13:51 AMJan 11
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Why wouldn’t you allow any altimeters approved in APPENDIX E to the Contest Rules (attached?)  See https://s3.amazonaws.com/ClubExpressClubFiles/114127/documents/USMRSC_April-2024_1642889220.pdf


William Kellermann
wt...@me.com




USMRSC_April-2024.pdf

Rocket Supplies

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Jan 11, 2025, 1:05:47 AMJan 11
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Why not the easy mini, blue raven or Bluejay?


Fred 
Rocket.Supplies Team

408.707.0640  |  rocket.supplies

mot...@rocket.supplies




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David Smith-Uchida

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Jan 11, 2025, 4:31:47 AMJan 11
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How about the “Party Snack” cans?

image0.jpeg

On Jan 10, 2025, at 00:38, Emma Humphries <emce...@gmail.com> wrote:


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Rob Heil

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Jan 11, 2025, 10:00:07 AMJan 11
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What about…

 

 

From: lunar-...@googlegroups.com <lunar-...@googlegroups.com> On Behalf Of David Smith-Uchida
Sent: Saturday, January 11, 2025 1:32 AM
To: lunar-...@googlegroups.com
Cc: LunarGeneral google <lunar-...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [LUNAR General] Announcing the Chip Can Challenge Contest

 

How about the “Party Snack” cans?

 

image001.jpg
image002.jpg

Emma Humphries

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Jan 11, 2025, 8:40:11 PMJan 11
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On the altimeters question, I agree with Bill, that we should use the NAR Competition altimeter list (if you have trouble getting to that PDF it's linked from https://www.nar.org/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=114127&module_id=673903).

We should also add commercially available, off the shelf, dual deployment altimeters since people in the Unlimited class may need a dual deployment altimeter.

As for Peter's question about motors, I'd like to keep to a single motor design in each class, otherwise if we allowed clusters, then everyone would need to fly those to be competitive and that'd add a lot of complexity to what is supposed to be less complicated than (T)ARC.

Thanks,

Emma H

Gene Engelgau

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Jan 11, 2025, 8:46:22 PMJan 11
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Jack

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Jan 12, 2025, 2:13:42 AMJan 12
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I would think that’s a reasonable thing to do.  Not sure how the ARC committee chooses which altimeters are certified each year, but it’s a subset of the contest-approved units.

 

- Jack

 

Jack Hagerty, ARA Press

http://www.arapress.com

"Were you born this stupid, or did you have to study?" – Robert Heinlein, Stranger in a Strange Land

Bill Orvis

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Jan 12, 2025, 5:43:40 PMJan 12
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What is it?


Bill

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/lunar-general/064901db6439%247af7df60%2470e79e20%24%40pacbell.net.
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srkendal

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Jan 12, 2025, 5:56:57 PMJan 12
to 'Bill Orvis' via LUNAR General
Haha, death in a can! 


On Jan 12, 2025 at 2:43 PM, 'Bill Orvis' via LUNAR General <lunar-...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

What is it?


Bill


On 1/11/25 6:59 AM, Rob Heil wrote:
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William Orvis
226 Joyce St.
Livermore, CA 94550
or...@compuserve.com
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Rob Heil

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Jan 12, 2025, 6:01:32 PMJan 12
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161cm long Pringles can.  As far as I can tell: not avail in the US.

 

Rob

image001.jpg
image002.jpg

Emma Humphries

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Jan 12, 2025, 6:16:13 PMJan 12
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I've posted additional files to Printable.com:

- a fin slotting jig for making through the wall fins
- a shim for adapting a 3"/75mm Estes/Apogee nose cone.

I'll bring the chip can rockets and components I've made to Wednesday's build night so you can inspect and get ideas. 

Emma H

On Fri, Jan 10, 2025 at 12:38 AM Emma Humphries <emce...@gmail.com> wrote:

Emma Humphries

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Jan 12, 2025, 6:16:37 PMJan 12
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Jack

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Jan 14, 2025, 12:15:10 AMJan 14
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I thought it was just a really good Photoshop…

 

- Jack

 

Jack Hagerty, ARA Press

http://www.arapress.com

"Were you born this stupid, or did you have to study?" – Robert Heinlein, Stranger in a Strange Land

 

image001.jpg
image002.jpg

William Kellermann

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Jan 14, 2025, 10:38:55 AMJan 14
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Released in Japan in 2020 as part of a promotion.  It was taller than the average person there.  If you can find one, it’s probably too valuable to modify for a rocket.

William Kellermann
wt...@me.com




On Jan 13, 2025, at 9:15 PM, Jack <jhag...@juno.com> wrote:

I thought it was just a really good Photoshop…
 
- Jack
 
Jack Hagerty, ARA Press 
"Were you born this stupid, or did you have to study?" – Robert Heinlein, Stranger in a Strange Land
 
From: lunar-...@googlegroups.com <lunar-...@googlegroups.com> On Behalf Of Rob Heil
Sent: Sunday, January 12, 2025 3:01 PM
To: lunar-...@googlegroups.com
Subject: RE: [LUNAR General] Announcing the Chip Can Challenge Contest
 
161cm long Pringles can.  As far as I can tell: not avail in the US.
 
Rob
 
From: 'Bill Orvis' via LUNAR General <lunar-...@googlegroups.com> 
Sent: Sunday, January 12, 2025 2:43 PM
To: lunar-...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: [LUNAR General] Announcing the Chip Can Challenge Contest
 
What is it?
 
Bill
 
On 1/11/25 6:59 AM, Rob Heil wrote:
What about…
 
<image001.jpg>
 
From: lunar-...@googlegroups.com <lunar-...@googlegroups.com> On Behalf Of David Smith-Uchida
Sent: Saturday, January 11, 2025 1:32 AM
To: lunar-...@googlegroups.com
Cc: LunarGeneral google <lunar-...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [LUNAR General] Announcing the Chip Can Challenge Contest
 
How about the “Party Snack” cans?
 
<image002.jpg>

Jamie Clay

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Feb 4, 2025, 10:19:32 PM (5 days ago) Feb 4
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I really dig this idea, so I'm developing some 3D printable parts for this challenge and plan to share the source files if anyone wants to tweak them to their needs. :) 
 
Here's a sample - 29mm Sprint themed airframe parts. 

All the 'kits' will have specially notched fin cans that allow easy swapping of the fins if a different design is wanted. 
 
I plan to have 24/29mm options, and a V2 and Little Joe I parts.

Stay tuned
 
--
Pringles_Rocket_Parts__v21_2025-Feb-04_04-23-17PM-000_CustomizedView12949188490.png

Emma Humphries

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Feb 4, 2025, 11:40:22 PM (5 days ago) Feb 4
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Jamie!

This is wonderful and exactly the sort of thing I was hoping for the contest to inspire. Thank you. I look forward to seeing your builds this weekend.

I've been wanting to print and make one of those Sprints you have on your Printable's page.

Emma H.

Emma Humphries

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Feb 4, 2025, 11:44:16 PM (5 days ago) Feb 4
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That depends. Does it cost more than a L1000? 😁

Kimball Tucker

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Feb 5, 2025, 9:08:26 AM (4 days ago) Feb 5
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Huy Ton

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Feb 5, 2025, 11:18:14 AM (4 days ago) Feb 5
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The pdf refers to this link for altimeter but the link does not work

Approved Altimeter List
The Contest Board approves altimeters for use in NAR competition. Follow this link for a list of approved 
altimeters:
approved-for-contest-use/

William Kellermann

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Feb 5, 2025, 11:44:21 AM (4 days ago) Feb 5
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Attached is the list as of 2024

William Kellermann
wt...@me.com




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