SUCCESS!!!!!

HolliStar hot fire was a 100% success! Even the fireworks at the end were exactly as planned!

After two weeks and $187 of nitrous, an oxidizer solenoid bypass was used to get an igniter to burn in the chamber. Then comes the countdown 3...2...1...
The engine boomed into a roaring thunder that the recording does not justify.... FINALLY, its resounding bawl unshackled me from the cantena of unsuccessful attempts that had burdened me with doubt.The engine operated exactly as I spent over 400 hours designing, building, and assembling but it would never have been possible without the help that I got along the way. It was a wholly humbling experience.
Assuming that because I am an Aerospace Engineer, I am rocket scientist, was entirely false. The knowledge is potential. Conversion of potential to action is power. I can see now that all of the education that I received was simply following in the footsteps of great men. However, an Aerospace Engineer along with the help and support of:

Most importantly, thank you Lexi Soya. I don't know how you were able to tolerate my 24/7 rocket building schedule. You not only supported my investment of time and attention but encouraged me to keep pushing for my goal. There were many times where I came home simply defeated but you wouldn't allow me to give up...you and your contagious optimism. I didn't stand a chance and I thank you for it.

Thanks to Geoff Hollis, whom which the HolliStar Rocket is named after, because if he didn't teach me everything I now know about machining, it would have been impossible for me to build. He offered me his giant endmill, rotary table, indexing head, gallons of methanol from his slingshot dragster, his lawnmower battery, a military grade starter coil, welding of my custom tanks and most importantly insight for taking the ideas off the paper and realizing them.  Apart from that, he spent just as much time as I did rolling around on the floor getting it all to fit together and even lit the igniter in the video.

Brainstorming and Imagineering

Rick Pelfrey

Jim Kopasko

Suele Kabir

Electronics Consulting

Rhett Ward

Paige Harris

Dan Baumann

Unknowing Test Subjects

Branden Wright

Alex Soya

Logan Soya

The Mom Squad

Angel Brewer

Zee Soya

Encouraging Supporters

Rhett Brewer

Brandon Brewer

Jay Bracht

Emma Baumann

Jeff Gallese

Victoria McMurchy

Alex Cummins

Josh Cummins

Mama Cummins

Papa Cummins

Jon Thorton

NOW ONTO THE ROCKET!

I designed the rocket to operate for about 5 seconds and it operated perfectly through 3 seconds. I knew that there was a water leak into the chamber and that there would be a chamber burn through because of it. So even though the test ended in rapid disassembly, it went exactly as planned. I figured I may as well test how bulletproof my chamber since I was at it.

At start-up, you can see sparks from the aluminum melting where the coolant is leaking.
Next, the engine operates perfectly as the chamber heats up to half of the temperature of the surface of the sun.
Then the burn through happens.... fortunately the blast chamber held up!
Completion of a perfect first test run!

Though you can see 5 mach diamonds in the thrust, there were many more. The entire length of the flame had progressively weakening mach diamonds. I shot the video with a ND4 (Neutral density filter similar to sunglasses where I can take a 5 second picture in broad daylight) and it was still blown out by the white hot flames. I need to do more research as to how to record them.

Pictures of the aftermath and more analysis coming soon!