Variable Swept Wing Rocket Glider

(Variable Swept Glider Sketch)

The Goal

During the 2020 MIT Engineering Design Workshop, my partner Ayman and I sought to create a plane that could be launched from a water rocket and glide gracefully back down. While Ayman focused on a traditional glider and a video presentation not shown here, I focused on the experimental designs demonstrated on this web page. There were a lot of factors that I had to consider, including wingspan, center of gravity, forces from the rocket launch, etc. I went through multiple prototypes, but I ended up with the shuttle glider and variable swept glider.

(Shuttle Glider Sketch)

The Shuttle Glider

Design Process

Inspired by NASA's space shuttle program, our first design was a shuttle glider design with smaller wings to withstand the force of launch. This custom design proved easy to test because it could be built in just two hours, and it used cheap dollar store foamboard so that it could be easily reproduced by anyone. It glided reasonably well, but the stubby wings still limited its gliding potential. Additionally, the low positioning of the wings meant that it had a tendency to roll upside down.

Standardization for Future Designs

Because the shuttle glider was designed around a 2L soda bottle as an internal thrust cartridge, pieces of the glider were standardized to allow for easy modifaction and upgrade. This was a helpful feature when designing the variable swept wing glider that is mentioned farther down this page.

(Ascent, steep angle)

(Descent, not so steep)

(Best launch after dialing in the center of gravity with bolts as weights)

Variable Swept Wings

To solve many problems from the shuttle glider, I opted for the addition of a variable swept wing mechanism inspired by the F-14 Tomcat Fighter Jet. The wings were placed in the middle to neutralize role tendencies. The body was lengthened by 50% to accomodate for the larger wingspan, and most importantly, a custom swept wing mechanism was added.

Swept Wing Mechanism

The variable swept wing mechanism consists of two wings that can pivot into a sleeve inside the body of the plane. Pegs on the wing and the body are connected by rubber bands, making the wings want to open. The pegs on the wing can then be kept in place by a wedge that is then kept in place by the force of the water rocket pushing against the wedge. When preparing for launch, the weight of the rocket is enough to keep the wedge against the pegs. After launched, the wings will automatically open when the water rocket stops applying pressure to the pegs via the wedge. This helps the transition from launch to glide.

Proof of Concept

From 90 degrees to 40 degrees

As shown below, after the wings opened, the glider was able to recover from a devastating nosedive to a reasonable 40 degree "glide". Unfortunately, this test showed that the glider was too nose heavy and adjustments must be made. However, the fact that the glider was still able to correct itself shows that a rocket powered glider is possible. The glider is still in its experimental phase, and this footage provides great reference for making further adjustments.

Small Details

Removable Nose and Wings

The variable swept wing glider was built with durability in mind. By using wooden dowels to hold some components together, the nose and wings both are easily removable if needed for repair or replacement.

Standardized Construction

Standardization of the glider components, thanks to the feature from the shuttle glider, made prototyping and assembly much easier.

Next Steps

Shuttle Glider

Add optional remote controlled components
20% larger wings
Add removable nose
Create and release free plans

Variable Swept Wing Glider

Needs further testing with
- Weight, thrust, launch angle, etc.
Add optional remote controlled components
Create and release free plans

Next Project: Bigger Delta Wing

Previous Project: WW1 Bristol M1

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