S - Space Models Competitions

1. What kind of competitions do we have in Spacemodelling?
2. What is the Spacemodelling World Cup?
3. How do we compete and calculate scores?
4. What did we do all these years?
5. What contests shall we have this year?
6. What contests shall we have next year?

1. What kind of competitions do we have in Spacemodelling?

International events are those in which participate sportsmen from at least two countries. There are Open International contests in which all spacemodellers who posses valied FAI sporting license may enter. These contests are only for individual classifications. Limited International contests are those in which competitors are nominated by their NACs for team and individual classifications.

World Championships are limited international contests in which competitors must be nominated by their NACs and are persons or teams from at least four different nations. In Continental Championships competitors also must be nominated by their NACs, but participants must be of at least four different nations from one continent.

Competition Classes for World and Continental SM Championships are:

• Junior Classes : S1A, S3A, S4A, S5B, S6A, S7, S8D and S9A.
• Senior Classes: S1B, S3A, S4A, S5C, S6A, S7, S8E/P and S9A.

2. What is the Spacemodelling World Cup?

Spacemodelling World Cup is an individual classification of results from a series of Open International contests during the year. SM WC contests are organized since 1995. SM WC classes are S4A, S6A, S7, S8E/P and S9A. There are 25 SM WC contests in 16 different countries at 3 continents this year. Three best results in each class during the year are counted for final classifications. In case of tie the fourth, fifth etc. best result will be considered to get the winner. The SM WC is coordinated and administered by Srdjan D. Pelagic, dipl.ing., SM SC Chairman. His email is srdjan.pelagic@gmail.com.

• Space Modelling World Cup page (results, rankings, bulletins and more)
• Space Modelling World Cup instructions page

3. How do we compete and calculate scores?

In general there are three areas of competition in SM: altitude, time duration and scale.

• In altitude competition we try to achieve the highest altitude - 1 m of altitude is 1 point, and the best of three flights is taken for final classification.
• In time duration - 1 second is 1 point and the total of three flights gives the final score. Flights are limited to some maximum time duration. It is for World Championship classes as follows: S3A, S4A, S6A and S9A - 180 sec, for S8D is 360 sec and for S8E/P there is a target time of 360 sec. If there is a tie additional flights ( fly-offs ) shall be made where the maximum flight is 2 minutes longer.
• In scale models competition there is a table for awarding points for workmanship and flight characteristics.

4. What did we do all these years?

Spacemodelling international contests started in 1965 between Poland and Czechoslovakia. On 28 May 1966 started the first international contest participated by Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, German DR, Poland, Romania, U.S.A. and Yugoslavia. Competitions were in payload altitude, parachute duration and boost glider duration.

The first World Spacemodelling Championships was held in Vrshac (former Yugoslavia, now Serbia) in 1972 and there were 19 World SM Championships organized so far. The first European SM Championshps was organized in Lleida (Spain) in 1979 and there were 15 European SM Championships organized so far. Only continental championships out of Europe was the 1st Open Asian SM Championshps organized in Baikonur (Kazakhstan) in 2007.

5. What contests shall we have this year?

FAI European Championships for Space Models 2013 to be held in Kaspichan (Bulgaria) from 24th to 30th August, 2013 is the greatest SM event this year. It is a tradition to have the Space Models Subcommittee meeting at the end of the Champs when all most important SM issues shall be discussed.

In addition to that there is a series of 25 SM World Cup events to be held in 16 countries at three continents in 5 World Cup classes. These events are sometimes completed with some Open International – non World Cup events. These are competition in classes that are not qualified for World Cup like S3A – Parachute Duration or S1B – Altitude Competition or even S8D – RC Rocket Glider Duration 10-20 Ns. The final World Cup event shall be 35th Ljubljana Cup in Ljubljana (Slovenia) from 11 to 12 October, 2013, that is a real SM festival with participation of people from about 10 – 12 countries.

Detailed information on all Space Models contests in 2013 can be found on the FAI events calendar.

6. What contests shall we have next year?

Next year, the greatest SM event shall be the 2014 FAI World Championships for Space Models to be held in Kaspichan (Bulgaria) from 24th to 31st August, 2014. In addition to that there will be a series of SM World Cups. All contests that shall be qualified for World Cup series 2014 must be registered at the FAI Office BEFORE 15th November, 2013.

S - Space Models

1. What is Spacemodelling?
2. Where do we have Spacemodelling?
3. What is CIAM Space Models Subcommittee?
4. What is a space model?
5. What classes are there in Spacemodelling?
6. What are the construction requirements for Spacemodelling?
7. What engines do we use in Spacemodelling?
8. Where and how to start with Spacemodelling?
9. Where to learn more on Spacemodelling?

1. What is Spacemodelling?

Spacemodelling (SM ) is an airsport, a part of Aeromodelling, that deals with space models. It was invented by two Americans - Harry G. Stine (1928 - 1997), a rocket engineer, known as the “Father of Spacemodelling” and Orvil Carlslile, a shoemaker, in 1957. FAI started with it in 1962. The first, provisional rules were approved by FAI in 1964 and the official rules in 1968. In addition of being an air-sport Spacemodelling is also an applied science, good tools for technical education of young people etc. Spacemodelling is attractive for people whose age ranges from 10 to over 70 years.

2. Where do we have Spacemodelling?

Spacemodelling as an airsport is being practiced in: Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, FYR Macedonia, Moldavia, Romania, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, U.S.A. and Uzbekistan. It was also practiced for a short time in: Norway (1966), Egypt (1972), France (1980 – 90), Azerbaijan (1997), Australia (1980) and Republic of South Africa (2007). Recently, first contacts were made with Brazil, Cyprus, Greece and Sweden. Can you help to have Spacemodelling activities in your country?

3. What is CIAM Space Models Subcommittee?

Space Models Subcommittee (SM S/C) is a technical body of CIAM composed of at least six technical experts (including chairman) all from different countries. It deals with rule changes, technical development of SM and it takes care of international competitions. SM S/C was established in 1962. The first SM S/C chairman was Harry G. Stine - U.S.A. (1962 - 1972). His successors were: Otakar Saffek - CZE (1973-1977 and 1995-1996), Howard Kuhn - U.S.A. (1978 - 1995) and Srdjan Pelagic – SRB - starting 1996. The composition of the Space Models S/C for 2013/2014 can be found here.

4. What is a space model?

A "Space model" is an aero-model that ascends into the air without the use of aerodynamic lifting forces against gravity; that is propelled by means of a space model engine; that includes a device for returning safely to the ground in a condition to fly again; and that is made of substantially non-metalic parts.

5. What classes are there in Spacemodelling?

There are ten main classes of space models.

• S1 - altitude models,
• S2 - payload altitude models,
• S3 - parachute duration models,
• S4 - boost/glide duration models,
• S5 - scale altitude models,
• S6 - streamer duration models,
• S7 - scale models,
• S8 - rocket glider duration models,
• S9 - gyrocopter duration models,
• S10 - flex wing duration models.

Each class, except class S7, has been subdivided related to engine size. These are Event Classes:

In addition to these there are three provisional classes:

• S6A/P – Streamer target time duration competition
• S11/P - Rocket powered aircraft and spaceship
• S12/p – Time duration triathlon tournament.

6. What are the construction requirements for Spacemodelling?

Construction of a space model shall be of wood, paper, rubber, breakable plastics and without substantial metallic parts. Models of classes S1, S2, S3, S6, S9 and S10 must have minimum diameter of 30 mm of enclosed airframe for a length of at least 50 % of the overall body length. In the case of S5 body diameter must be minimum 40 mm for at least of 20 % of overall body length. In case of S1 smallest body diameter, including boat tailing in the back section of the model shall not be less than 18 mm for at least 75% of the overall length of each stage including their back sections.

7. What engines do we use in Spacemodelling?

A space model engine shall be a solid propellant reaction engine that has all propellant ingredients preloaded into the casing in such a manner that they cannot easily be removed. All spacemodelling events shall be divided into sub-classes according the total impuls as follows:

8. Where and how to start with Spacemodelling?

Easy! Gather a group of schoolchildren 12 - 13 years old and organize their technical meetings twice a week for two hours. Find some drawing paper to make bodies, balsa sheets of 1-1,5 mm for the fins and some styrofoam for nosecones. You already have general construction requirements - non-metallic parts, length 500 mm and diameter 40 mm. Total area of three or four fins shall be, for beginners, that of 2,5 cross sections of the body. Center of gravity (CG) of the model shall be 0,5 - 1,0 body diameter in front of center of pressure (CP) for that model. You can find roughly center of pressure if you cut a silhouette of the model of cardboard and balance it on the knife edge. To check is your model stabile and safe fix a piece of tread 1-1,5 m long at the center of gravity and rotate it over your head. If it follows trajectory with the nose cone heading forward - the model is stable and you can fly it safely. Buy some fabricated model rocket engines (start with A/2 or A engine class first). We wish you happy and successful flying! Send us a word about it!

9. Where to learn more on Spacemodelling?

You can choose three ways:

• a) to read spacemodelling books or magazines,
• b) to ask other spacemodellers for advices and
• c) to go to spacemodelling competitions to see how the other people is doing that and to try yourself.

A. The sourcebook for Spacemodelling is:
G.Harry Stine: Handbook of Model Rocketry, published by Follet, Chicago 1965.

This book by the “Father of Spacemodelling” had many editions.
The recent one is 7th Edition (Kindle Edition) updated by his son Bill Stine.

The most comprehensive spacemodelling books are between many others:

• a) For English speaking spacemodellers:
  Stuart Lodge: Model Rocketry - Space Modelling, Traplet Publications 2010
• b) For Slavic languages speaking spacemodellers:
  Joze Cuden & Rasto Snoj: Raketno Modelarstvo, Tehniska zalozba Slovenije 1991
  in Slovenian with excellent theoretical background and in Russian

  Viktor S. Rozhkoff: Kosmodrom na stole (Cosmodrome on the Table)
  Mashinostroenie, Moscow, 1999.

• c) The only book on spacemodelling history:
  Prof Ioan Radu – International Spacemodelling – 2011
  published in Romanian and English. Available through the author at
  Radu Ioan astronautica_targoviste@yahoo.com

B. There is a lot of magazines publishig articles on spacemodelling:
American Sports Rocketry (USA), Modelar (Czech Republic ), TIM ( Slovenia ), etc.

C. To ask qualified people the best is to fill in our contact form.

HAVE A GOOD TIME AND ENJOY FLYING SPACE MODELS!