The California Arrow is a complex project. It requires a number techniques which are personal firsts as well as a one or two items, such as the speed brakes, which we have not seen modeled before.

To gain experience in these areas we are building a test bed platform - a rocket called Crash Test Dummy. We will use this rocket to perform an number of missions prior to the launch of the California Arrow itself.

Mission Objective 1 - Dual Deployment - Complete!
The Crash Test Dummy (CTD) is our first rocket built to use dual deployment recovery. First we'll master the 2 compartment system before progressing to a single compartment.

Mission Objective 2 - Airstarted Cluster - Complete!
The Arrow will need to airstart the 4 second stage motors. To simulate this, the CTD was designed with a 5 motor cluster in the booster. A central 54mm motor is flanked by 4 38mm mounts. After launching on a single 54mm motor, we will airstart the outboards with a timer.

Mission Objective 3 - Speed Brakes
The prototype Canadian Arrow uses speed brakes in the booster to decelerate the first stage at separation. We will add a new interstage separation section to the CTD with speed brakes. These will be actuated by timer at burnout of the first stage motor.

Mission Objective 4 - Interstage Unit
The Arrow will use simple drag, aided by the speed brakes, to separate the first and second stages. The interstage section will use no positive attachment. Alignment of the stages will be accomplished with a set of replaceable rods.

Mission Objective 5 - Second Stage Firing Interlock
An electronic interlock system will need to be created to ensure that second stage ignition only occurs after a successful booster separation.

Mission Objective 6 - Rearward Firing Chutes
The Arrow will use 4 chutes for the first stage which will fire rearward from behind the opened speed brakes. A retention system will have to devised to counteract the inertia of the chutes during flight while still allowing timely deployment.

Mission Objective 7 - Single Bay Drogue to Main
The upper stage of the Arrow will use a small drogue chute at apogee. The three main chutes will open closer to the ground. All 4 of these chutes will be housed in a single compartment. We will use a Advanced Retention and Release Device (ARRD 2) from blacksky fired by altimeter to release the main chutes.

Mission Objective 8 - Deployment Bags
We will use deployment bags on the main chutes. These bags will be retained by the ARRD. Once fired, the drogue will pull the bags off of the main chutes allowing the nosecone to land on its own on the drogue.

Mission Objective 9 - Drag Plates
The Canadian Arrow uses drag plates rather than fins for second stage guidance. And just to be difficult these are deployed at separation. We will attempt to duplicate this feature but we are not sure how successful they will be at low altitude. If unsuccessful in the Crash Test Dummy flights we will switch to pop out fins.

Mission Objective 10 - On-Board Video
A video camera will be mounted in the booster looking 'up' through a clear plate. This will allow a clear view of separation and second stage ignition. Given the upside down recovery of the booster, this camera should get some great footage of the ground.

We will post updates as we progress through each of these objectives. Please check back often!