Under which condition is electronically actuated recovery necessary?

Electronically actuated recovery systems are necessary for rockets with an installed impulse greater than 2560 Newton-seconds because these rockets can have higher velocities and altitudes, making manual recovery systems less reliable. At such high performance levels, the forces acting on the rocket during descent can be significantly increased, requiring a more precise and effective recovery system to ensure that the rocket safely returns to the ground.

An electronically actuated recovery system provides the necessary precision and reliability needed to deploy recovery devices like parachutes at specific times during descent, which is crucial for heavier and more powerful rockets. This precise control helps to manage the descent dynamics effectively, reducing the risk of damage upon landing and enhancing the overall safety and performance of the recovery system.

Other conditions mentioned, such as rockets weighing more than 20 pounds, rockets launched over 5000 feet, or those using solid fuel, do not universally warrant the need for electronically actuated recoveries, as the specific requirement for electronically actuated systems focuses on impulse, which directly correlates to the rocket's overall performance and safety during recovery.