Rocketry Motion
• Students will participate in
the construction of a selfmade rocket.
• Requirements
-- Listen Carefully to each
direction.
-- Keep up with your
assigned responsibility.
-- Be a helpful group
member for your team’s
state
Who Builds the Rocket?
• Each team is identified by
a state.
• Team’s will build rockets
with their state logo and
with each crewmember’s
name carefully printed on
the rocket’s fuselage.
• Note: Fuselage is the
technical name for the
rocket’s main body. An
aircraft also has a
fuselage.
What Will the Rocket be Made Out of?
• General Materials Used
are as follows:
1. Computer Paper
17. Future Items
2. Red Stick Tape
3. Corks
4. Balsa Wood
5. Large Paper Clip
6. Wood Tail Fins
7. Wood Glue
8. School Glue
9. Plastic Parachute
10. String
11. Plastic Streamer
12. Battery Charge
13. Paint
14. Engines, Contacts and plugs
15. Alligator Clips For Igniter
16. Water
What Tools are Needed to Make the Rocket?
• Tools Used:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Triangle & ¾’’ Circle
Scissors
Pliers
Surgical or exacto Knife
Wood Dowels
Scales
Sponges
Sand Paper
Meter/yard Stick
When Will The Rockets Be Made
• Now
A Few Days Counting Launch and
Post Lab.
Where Will The Rockets Be Made
• Mr. Mac’s Classroom
Note: Prior to launching one of
your team members may take the
rocket home and paint it with model
paint or spray paint. Verify with
your parent.
OSHA codes will not allow painting
at school because certain kinds of
paint contain hazardous materials
that are dangerous to human health
without proper protective gear.
Why Will The Rockets Be Made
• You have studied motion
and Newton’s Laws a lot.
• This lab will cover the areas studies
as well as prepare you for other
higher-order thinking science labs.
• Team work is an important skill and
to make a rocket exercises such
skills.
How Are The Rockets Made and
Launched?
Rockets will be made and launched by
following a series of steps.
First: Make the Body Tube.
Next: Make your nose cone.
Third: Make your engine retainer.
Fourth: Prepare and install fins.
Fifth: Rig parachute or streamer system.
Sixth: Attach rocket to battery pack and launcher.
How Are The Rockets Made?
Rockets will be made by following a
series of steps.
Step 1:Get into your group and stay
seated until everyone has found their
group.
Step 2: Each team starts with a piece
of computer paper.
How Are The Rockets Made?
Step 3: Teams identify your
materials in your state box and
designate a student to put
everything away during clean
up. Show Mr. Mac when you
are finished. Then return to
your desk area and wait to be
dismissed.
Rocketry
Construct Body Tube
4. Mark and cut your
computer paper at
3 ¼ inches x 11 inches
Rocketry
Construct Body Tube
5. Take Your Wood
Dowel and use it to roll
the body of your rocket.
You require school glue.
Rocketry
Construct Body Tube
6. Now, mark and cut a
piece of red tape at 11
inches and moisten it.
Roll the red tape to your
rocket body.
Rocketry
Construct Body Tube
7. Mark and cut a piece
of red tape at 18 inches.
8. Using the triangle,
mark and cut your 45
degree angle.
Rocketry
Construct Body Tube
7. Moisten your 18 inch
red tape and prepare to
roll it over your body tube.
8. Remember to roll at a
45 degree angle and do not
stop once you start.
Rocketry
Construct Body Tube
9. After your body tube has
dried for 24 hours cut the
red tape so that it is even
with the computer paper.
10. Let Mr. Mac demonstrate
how to make the cut before
you make your cut.
Nose Cone
• Take small cork and large cork and using
wood glue, glue the corks together. Let dry
for 24 hours.
• Safety: Groups must complete balsa wood
cuts with Mr. Mac Observing.
Nose Cone
•
•
•
•
Using ¼ inch circle, mark out your balsa block.
Leave your mark and very carefully slice the balsa
Sand balsa as appropriate; make symmetrical
Glue balsa with wood glue to cork and let sit for
24 hours.
• DO NOT make nose cone smaller than body tube
• Safety: Groups must complete balsa wood cuts
with Mr. Mac Observing.
Engine Retainer
•
•
•
•
Get big paper clip!
Straighten out paper clip!
Bend with pliers attached to paper clip.
Dimensions are listed below:
1¼ inches by 2¾ inches by ¼ inches.
Tail Fins
• Get three pre-cut tail fins!
• Sand properly making a point on the trailing edge
as well as the leading edge!
• Sand about half way through on each side down
to a point. Paint them for less air resistance attach
to body tube with wood glue using template.
Tail Fin Template
• Take a piece of computer paper
• Make the following marks:
¾ Inch Circle
☆Glue tail fins
to the 120
degree marks.
Let glue dry for
3 min before
applying.
120 Degrees
Install Engine Retainer.
• Use retainer to hold engine in place.
• Using 3/16” drill make hole approximately 2
¾” up from the bottom of the body tube
• Drill completely through the body tube
• Do not drill into a tail fin.
Body Tube
¼” side of
engine
retainer.
2 ¾” side of engine retainer.
If too short or long, adjust
with fingers so it fits.
Drill Hole For
1 ¼” Engine
retainer side
Install Rocket Motor
• Use retainer to hold engine in place.
• Engine contacts are connected to the motor in the
following way:
• Slide motor in tube and plug (yellow) contacts so
they are positioned against engine explosives.
Plug
Contacts that will
connect to
alligator clips.
Bottom View of Rocket Engine
Rocket Motor Info.
• Motor burn for two 3 second spans.
• Burn one: Propels rocket off ground.
• Burn two: Explodes causing an exothermic
reaction inside the body tube.
• Explosion causes nose cone to pop out and
recovery system to deploy.
Build Recovery System
Materials
String
Rubber band
1” x 18” streamer
1” x 1” square piece of paper
School Glue
Build Recovery System
Procedure:
★ Cut two pieces of 10” string
★ Place drop of glue in center of 1” by 1”
paper. Fold in half with end of string positioned
in center. Place second drop on ½” by 1” paper
and fold again making a ¼” by ¼” attachment
base.
Attachment Base Glued inside Body Tube
Build Recovery System
Procedure:
★ Tie string that has attachment base to one
side of a rubber band with a surgeon’s knot
followed by a square not. Trim to 1/8”.
★ Tie second string to other side of the same
rubber band using a surgeon’s knot followed by a
square knot. Trim to 1/8”.
Attachment Base
Rubber band
Streamer
Build Recovery System
Procedure:
★ Roll streamer up using a pencil. Do not place
in body tube until pre-launch inspection.
★ Glue attachment base to inner side of body
tube. Let dry for at least 1 hour.
Attachment Base
Body
tube
Rubber band
Streamer
Build Recovery System
Procedure:
★ Using hot glue gun, glue a 1 ½”
Piece of a straw to the side of the body tube.
★ Tip: Make sure that the igniter contacts are
routed on the opposite side of the body tube’s
straw.
Body Tube
Straw
Build Recovery System
Procedure:
★ Make Streamer:
Cut out a piece of plastic that is 1” x 18” in
length and using masking tape attach your
recovery lanyard to the side that is opposite to the
attachment base.
3 pieces of masking tape
Streamer
1”
18”
Recovery
Lanyard
Build Recovery System
Procedure:
★ Make Streamer:
Cut out a piece of plastic that is 1” x 18” in
length and using masking tape attach your
recovery lanyard to the side that is opposite to the
attachment base.
3 pieces of masking tape
Streamer
1”
18”
Recovery
Lanyard
Pre Launch Inspection
1. Cut a ¾” square of wadding and carefully
push it well into the body tube. Note:
Never use toilet paper or tissue paper;
they are flammable.The wadding is a
barrier designed to keep from burning up
your recovery system and nose cone.
Pre Launch Inspection
2. One person represents the team and sits
at the lab table with rocket in front.
3. On teacher’s command, the engines are
inserted in the body tube and tightened in
by adjusting the engine retainer.
Pre Launch Inspection
4. Then, the teacher assists students installing
igniter contacts and yellow plugs.
5. Next, students carefully place their rolled
streamer and recovery system into the body
tube.
6. Last, students carefully place their completed
rockets into a cargo box that the teacher will
use to transport rockets to launch pad.
Model Rocketry Safety Code
1. Construction—My model rocket will be made
of lightweight materials such as paper, wood,
plastic and rubber. Without any metal as
structural parts.
2. Engines—I will use only pre-loaded factory
made model rocket engines in the meaner
recommended by the manufacturer. I will not
change in any way nor attempt to reload these
engines.
3. Recovery—I will always use a recovery system
in my rockets that will return them safely to the
ground so that they may be flown again.
Model Rocketry Safety Code
4. Weight Limits—My model rocket will weigh
no more than 453 grams (16 oz) at lift off. And
the engines will contain no more than 113
grams (4 oz) of propellant.
5. Stability—I will check the stability of my
model rockets before their first flight except
when launching models of already proven
stability.
6. Launching system—The system I use to
launch my model rockets must be remotely
controlled and electrically operated and will
contain a switch that will return to “off” when
released. I will remain at least 20 feet away
from any rocket that is being launched.
Model Rocketry Safety Code
7. Launch safety—I will not let anyone approach
a model rocket on a launcher until I have made
sure that either the safety interlock key has
been removed or the battery has been
disconnected from my launcher.
8. Flying conditions—I will not launch my
model rocket in high winds, near buildings,
power lines, tall trees, low flying aircraft. Or
under any conditions which might be
dangerous to people or property.
9. Launch Area—My model rockets will always
be launched from a clear area free of any easy
to burn materials and I will only use nonflammable recovery wadding in my rockets.
Model Rocketry Safety Code
10. Jet Deflector—My launcher will have a jet
deflector device to prevent the engine exhaust
from hitting the ground directly.
11. Launch Pad—To prevent accidental injury I
will always place the launcher so the end of the
rod is above eye level or cap the end of the rod
with my hand when approaching it. I will
never place my head or my body over the
launching rod. When my launcher is not in use
I will always store it so that the launch rod is
set in an upright position.
12. Power Lines—I will never attempt to recover
my rocket from a power line or other dangerous
place.
Model Rocketry Safety Code
13. Launch Targets & Angle—I will not launch
rockets so their flight path will carry them
against targets on the ground and will never use
an explosive warhead nor a payload that is
intended to be flammable. My launching
device will always be pointed within 30
degrees of vertical.
14. Pre-Launch Test—When conducting research
activities with unproven designs or methods, I
will when possible determine their reliability
through pre-launch tests. I will conduct
launchings of unproven designs in complete
isolation from persons not participating in the
actual launching.
Launch Procedure
1. Students line up on sidewalk and face woods.
2. Teacher watches wind direction and attempts to
keep rockets within field area
3. Recovery teams will collect rockets after they
have landed, NEVER BEFORE!
Launch Procedure
4. Students must remain 20 feet from the rocket.
5. Student team leader will push the launch button
on the signal. NOTE: When pushing the button,
Push and count…1, 1000, 2, 1000, 3. The button
must be pressed for at least 2 seconds.
6. Do not quickly press the button like a gun’s
trigger. There will not be enough time to initiate
the igniter.
Launch Procedure
7. The rocket is on the stand and the students
must shout 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and blast off. At
that precise moment, the button is pressed
for at least a 2 second duration.
8. Safety key not used until everyone is
listening and ready.
Launch Contest
1. Time rocket spends airborne.
2. Altitude data if available.
How Does a Model Rocket
Work?
5. Apogee
6. Streamer or Parachute Ejection
4. Coasting Period
Rocketry
3. Burnout
2. Lift Off
1. Ignition
7. Soft Landing
Assignment
• Teams will gather the time durations of the
other rockets and make bar graphs that
reflect each rocket’s status.
• Winning team gets a small prize.
• All teams get to keep rockets. Rockets are
to be taken home by team elected student.
Rocketry Lab Quiz
• Fill in the blank quiz.
• 1. When making a paper rocket, how many
pieces of paper are used? _________.
• 2. How many pieces of red tape were used?
_________.
• 3. What was used to hold the engine in
place? _________.
Rocketry Lab Quiz
• Fill in the blank quiz.
• 4. When making your rocket what did you glue to
the bottom of your nose cone? _________.
• 5. When describing a tail fin you know that the
leading edge is in front, what do you call the edge
on the bottom? ________________________.
• 6. What type of glue was used to attach the tail
fins to the rocket’s body tube? ____________.
Rocketry Lab Quiz
• Fill in the blank quiz.
• 7. When you used the triangle, how many degrees
did you mark the second piece of red tape before
you made your cut? _________.
• 8. What caused the rocket’s engine to ignite?
______________________________________.
• 9. What was the name of the system that the
rocket used on its way down to the ground?
______________________________________.
• 10. If each block had 8 teams and there are 5
blocks, how many teams were there in all? ____.