Cosmostrator rocket model

thingiverse

The Cosmostrator rocket from "The First Spaceship on Venus" has two versions, one a faithful replica and the other a modified version for a flyable model rocket. The true-to-scale version is accompanied by a second version that I have transformed into components to make a more practical model rocket. Printed in white Hatchbox PLA, this Cosmostrator rocket was painted with Rustoleum Silver Metallic paint. A second version of the rocket, dubbed Venus 2, was printed in CC3D Silky Silver, but I do not recommend using this type of PLA for flyable rockets due to its weak interlayer adhesion. You can view a movie of the Cosmostrator rocket on YouTube at https://youtu.be/Owh3MFn6R_A. This model includes custom cylindrical supports in the STL file and stands about 230mm tall when printed at 100% Z-scale. The main fuselage of this model is hollow with a 1.0mm wall thickness, while the rest of the model is solid. If you print this model with a single perimeter of .5-.6mm and zero infill, it may be somewhat fragile and prone to gaps. I recommend using two perimeters or a single perimeter of 1.0+ mm for better results. Using a brim of 3.0 mm or more is also recommended to ensure that the separate fin perimeters remain secure until they join together at higher layers. You can use whatever retraction length and speed works best on your printer, but I personally use 2mm at 30mm/s on my Artemis. Setting "minimum travel after retraction" to 5 mm or more will prevent retractions while printing the perforated layers on the support cylinders, which may otherwise cause under-extrusion on one of the fins. If you scale this model to 200%, set the minimum travel after retraction to 10 mm. The "wipe" setting in your slicer might also be helpful when printing this model due to its extensive travel moves that require retraction. Update: On January 17, 2019, I added files for components of a stretched version that has features of a flyable model rocket. This includes a removable tip for adding weight and room for an 18mm motor tube with BT-55 centering ring at the top and BT-50 centering ring at the bottom. I have no idea where the CP is on this rocket, so launch it at your own risk. If someone wants to model this rocket in one of the simulator/analysis programs, I will support them with whatever information I can provide. The twist-lock bayonet fittings on this rocket have four locking bumps compared to the single bump used on my previous rockets, so it takes more force to lock them in place. Update: On January 24, 2019, I added Upper-Solid and Tail-Solid for those who want more flexibility in scaling and wall thickness. You lose the bayonet fittings with these files, so you will need to design your own couplers etc. The Lower-Solid was requested by Nerys so that the lower fuselage could be printed in vase mode and custom fins made separately. Update: On July 11, 2019, I added two photos of Venus2 printed in CC3D Silky Silver PLA.