The safe version of the maple seed rocket showing both units separated for display. The units must be connected for flight.
Top view of the maple seed rocket with the seed unit and stabilizer units connected. You can see the left stiffener on the fin of the maple seed unit. Two stiffeners are glued to each side of the fin to create the proper weight distribution needed for rotation and to increase the area of attachment of the fin to the body tube so that the fin won't break off during ascent or landing.
Here is the underside of the rocket. Note the small hole at the right near the nosecone. It vents the excess ejection gases, leaving enough to detach the stabilizer unit. On the left, near the end of the seed unit's fin, you can see the blackening caused by the rocket engine's propellant gases during launch. The rocket could be painted, but I have learned not to paint a new design until I know that it works! I think I'll paint this one white with black and fluorescent orange bands at the end of the seed unit's fin, and an orange stabilizer unit with one fin orange and the other white. This will help me locate the unit in either summer or winter. I fly rockets year around.
