Terran 1 - The World’s First 3D Printed Rocket.

This is the model of the Terran-1 GLHF (Good Luck, Have Fun) rocket, which had a partially successful first launch a few days ago, March 23, 2023. Relativity Space has some info on their rockets at https://www.relativityspace.com/rockets

This rocket was designed to be entirely 3D printed, but it can also fit a BT-56 body tube, if the user wishes to skip the printed tube. It was also designed to test PLA motor mounts, but a PETG mount would likely be a safer option. It has been tested with both A8-3 and C6-5 Estes motors. While the A8-3 did lift the rocket, the altitude was less than ideal. The C6-5 brought the rocket to a much better altitude.

 Watch the test flight of my model here: https://youtube.com/shorts/PZElb9EyoBo?feature=share

This model can be printed without any supports! However, a brim is recommended on parts with low surface area, such as the nose cone and body tube. The parts are oriented in the optimal orientation by default.

For assembly, you will need:

Parachute (12-in worked fine)

Shock cord (Or rubber bands)

Paperclips (I used them to make the parachute removable)

Glue or similar adhesive

The decals for the model can be found in https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5873023/files, I scaled these down to fit properly.

[ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS]

1. Start with [Terran-1 Engine Block]

2. Attach four [Terran-1 Fin (4X)] with glue.

3. Attach [Terran-1 Body Tube Bottom] to the current assembly with glue. The side with the smaller attachment point is the top. The part also prints upwards.

4. Attach [Terran-1 Tube Connector] to the current assembly with glue. Ensure it lines up with the launch rod hole in [Terran-1 Engine Block].

5. Attach [Terran-1 Body Tube Top] to the current assembly with glue.

6. Attach three [Terran-1 Body Detail (3X)] to the current assembly about one inch from the top in a triangular pattern with glue.

7. Attach a shock cord or rubber band about one inch from the top on the inside of the tube. This should be about the length of the rocket, if not more. A shock cord is preferred over a rubber band.

8. Tie your shock cord or rubber band to the nosecone.

9. Tie a Parachute or Streamer to the nosecone, I tested a 4-foot length of caution tape as an alternative, but this failed, so I resorted to a standard 12-in parachute. A standard streamer for model rockets should work just fine.

10. The final recovery assembly should look like this or similar. The rubber band wrapped around the streamer should be removed before flight.

11. Test fit the nose cone, it should fit snuggly but be easy to pull out. If it's too loose, add some tape, as I did. If it's too tight, print another one at 99.5% or 99% scale.

12. Add in recovery wadding and an engine. If the engine doesn't stay in, put a bit of tape around the top to keep it tight. Mine fit fine.