Advancing Wood Product and Tourism Businesses in Western MA – MA EOEEA

Businesses in Berkshire and Franklin counties face many challenges. The Mohawk Trail Woodlands Partnership (MTWP), comprised of representatives from twenty one towns in the region, is investigating ways to improve the regional economy. We worked with the Massachusetts Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs and the Mohawk Trail Woodlands Partnership to evaluate seven programs proposed by the MTWP to help local wood and tourism businesses. We conducted interviews with five businesses in the region to obtain their opinions on the programs and to create profiles for each business illustrating their challenges and strategies to overcome them. Lastly, we provided recommendations on how to improve the seven plans, marketing, internet infrastructure, and tourism in the region

Design and Integration of a High-Powered Model Rocket – III

The paper describes a project to design, assemble, and test propulsion, stage separation, and recovery systems for a high-powered model rocket. A first-principles model was used to evaluate the pressurization produced by the CO2 separation system. A prototype system was fabricated and tested. Circuit and coil design for the electromagnetic booster separation system was used to minimize the capacitance, reducing vehicle mass. Results of this analysis are presented. Two models were used to evaluate rocket motor performance, one to estimate the thrust and specific impulse, and the other the heat transfer rates in the motor. Descriptions of these models are presented. Finally, an autorotation recovery system was designed based on turbine, helicopter blade, and blade element momentum theories