Greetings all. I found this web site recently and like it very much. I am a BAR, having got back into the hobby off and on over the last 10 years. My 8 year old has gotten the rocket bug and it is a great way for us and all the rest of my children to spend enjoyable time together. I built the Semroc Mars Lander after wanting one for years but being discouraged after seeing what they go for on Ebay. Anyway, I flew it for the first time Sunday on a B4-2. It took off straight but pretty much started flying almost horizontal. The chute deployed and it landed safely. I believe a more powerful engine would have had it fly into the ground. Has anyone else had a similair experience with flying the Mars Lander. I believe some weight might be needed up front, but what do you all think?

Chan Stevens had a similar problem with his Lander. He solved the problem by adding 1/4 oz. of noseweight in the form of a washer and it seemed to do the trick. He flew it at this past weekend's Quark launch on a C6-3 and the flight was perfect. (Very low-level, but spot-on for stability and it recovered well.)

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__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Mini Dactyl Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Groonie Der V 1/2

Can't help you with the lander (haven't built mine yet), but welcome back to rocketry and YORF! If you haven't found it yet, Thrustline Aerospace is a great place to get clone kits.

-Paul

I've flown my Lander clone 3 times with B6-2's and had great success. I might try a C6-3 tomorrow. I did add nose weight to mine, 2 lead discs. Don't pack the parachute to tight, on my last flight I did this and it did not have time to open. The lander only makes it to about 80-100ft.

I posted a movie of the launch over at the yahoo marslander group. Sorry the quality is not great.

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I launched my Semroc Mars Lander for the first time today. Not being a big fan of B motors in her I used a C63. IT WAS COOL. Nice straight boost, nosed over..... seemed to take a LONG time for the chute to deploy..... Out she came for a nice landing. Didn't stick it though.
Looking forward to many more flights. I agree with the fact that you really need to wait for a calm day to fly it. I believe she would weathercock badly in a breeze.
Mark T

I launched mine on a C6-3 the last week, It went much higher than I expected. A nice flight up to about 200-250 ft. I think the C6-3 was made for the lander! 2 of the 4 days I launched were windy and I had no problems.

On the 3rd flight the bottom leg dowel broke when the 'chute did not open. It was fixed with some epoxy and seems 100%. I'm not sure how many more times I will launch it.

Mark

I have read numerous posts about extra nose weight in the ML, and I chose to ignore it.
I flew mine last Saturday in not a lot of wind(2nd flight) it was unstable as heck, crash landed. THEN ejected the chute(the infamous "Wile E Coyote"ejection system).
Mine suffered a jammed leg,and dented body wraps by the nose.
I am putting nose weight in it as soon as I am done typing this. Please let my misfortune be a wake up call to all of you ML owners.
My ML will fly again.
Mark T

And why did you choose to ignore the posts about adding nose weight ?
Interested in a wacky rocket-destroying flight ? That should be performed with a piece-o'-junk rocket, not a time-consuming build such as the ML.
I will be adding nose weight to my Semroc Mars Lander.
Interestingly enough, I built 3 original Estes Mars Landers (one is still flying, one was a C5-3 CATO victim, one was a Cox 18mm D8-3 CATO victim) and NONE of them required any nose weight to fly stable.
Perhaps some of the lower components (harder/denser balsa for legs, etc.) in the Semroc kit weigh significantly more than the old Estes parts in the original kits.

__________________
When in doubt, WHACK the GAS and DITCH the brake !!!

Yes, there is such a thing as NORMAL, if you have to ask what is "NORMAL" , you probably aren't !
Failure may not be an OPTION, but it is ALWAYS a POSSIBILITY.
ALL systems are GO for MAYHEM, CHAOS, and HAVOC !

The ML was built for me,I had one flight which worked beautifully,I didn't see the need.Now I do.
Mark

As I posted before, mine is not the Semroc kit it is a clone. I did use the Semroc wraps they are very nice (as are all the parts in the Semroc kit). I did use nose weights, And I did overbuild/paint the lower half of the lander. I have not put mine on a scale but I know it is heavy. I have flown it 6 times, once on the C6-3, and in winds gusting to about 10-12 mph with no stability problems.

The parts in the Semroc lander are all high quality so I don't think it is the kit. Could it be the new Estes motors? are they heavier than in the past? Has anyone launched the lander on Quest motors?

Mark