Rocket Launch Project
Objective: To design a water rocket that will reach a
minimum altitude of 250 feet using the Aquaport rocket launcher.
Essential question:
1. How does motion apply to rocket science?
2. What influence will the four forces of flight (weight, thrust, drag, and lift) have on my rocket
design?
3. How will I achieve a minimum vertical launch height of 250 feet using water and air pressure
4. What will I use to measure and calculate the altitude of my water rocket?
Lab Report Requirements 60 points
Day 1 in the computer lab: Research information using the suggested sites. Use the introduction as
a guide for the background information. You MUST cite any information you obtained from a
resource. Begin DESIGN of rocket on paper
Day 2 & 3: Build your rocket (you must bring in 2 Liter bottle and supplies)
Day 4: Launch rocket (1st Trial); Record data, share and record class data
Day 5: Rebuild/redesign rocket
Day 6 & 7: in the computer lab: Begin typing your introduction, materials and methods, and the
data table for the results. A clean copy of this must be turned in BEFORE you leave class!
Contains background information on rocket science that includes the four forces of flight (weight, thrust,
drag, and lift), rocket stability (center of gravity and pressure), motion and force, and the effects of water
and air pressure. The introduction should also include the hypothesis of the experiment such as the
anticipated plan/design and projected altitude. The introduction must contain a minimum of two
paragraphs with evidence of research using proper citations.
1. Materials and Methods: List all materials required to complete this project and outline the
procedures taken to design and launch the rocket.
2. Results: The results should include all observations for the pre-tests, results for final launch,
description of any modifications to the rocket, and all re-launch observations. Using a table,
record the mass of the rocket and time in freefall for the initial launch and re-launch, calculate the
altitude (height), potential energy at the maximum height, kinetic energy and velocity of the
launch.
Sample Table (must include a title)
Measurements and Calculations
Time (s)
Height (m)
Mass (g)
PE (J)
KE (J)
Velocity (m/s2)
Remember: KE = ½ mv2
Launch 1
PE= mgh
v=distance/time
Launch 2
Day 8 & 9:Rebuild/redesign rocket Introduction; Launch rocket (Final trial); Record data, share
and record class data
Day 10: in the computer lab: Finish lab report by completing the data tables, the analysis, and
conclusionMUST BE TURNED IN BY THE END OF CLASS!
3. Analysis: Using pre-existing knowledge of physics, explain the results (the hows and whys of the
experiment using key terms such as force, velocity, kinetic and potential energy). The analysis
should contain specific information that explains why the class data occurred according to the
results. The analysis must also include a graph of distance v/s time of the class data. The
analysis must be a minimum 1 paragraph.
4. Conclusion: Identify how/why the hypothesis was supported or refuted by providing supportive
evidence. Performance: Reflect on the performance of your rocket launches. For each launch,
how high did it go, why were changes made, and what laws of physics influenced the results?
Improvements: What two variations would you most like to try? For each variation, explain why
you think that it would improve the performance of your rocket. The conclusion must be a
minimum 2 paragraphs
5. You must have a minimum of 2 references cited in your paper with evidence of research
and understanding. Use www.citationmachine.com to site your sources in MLA
format.
Bibliography
Be sure to study the model rocketry sections (among others) of NASA's Beginner's Guide to Aeronautics.
This excellent NASA Web site includes a rocket simulator called RocketModeler.
http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/airplane/guided.htm
You can find a wealth of general information at these sites:

The National Association of Rocketry: http://nar.org/index.html

Apogee Components:
http://www.apogeerockets.com/education/index.asp

Estes Educator: http://www.estesrockets.com/library.php
Altitude tracking is important for many experiments in rocketry. These links contain excellent
information about how to measure your rocket's altitude:
http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/teachers/rockets/act9.html
www.nasa.gov/pdf/153402main_Rockets.Guide.Altitude.Tracking.pdf
Procedure Requirements: 40 points
1. Build your "best guess" rocket. (As you conduct tests, you will refine the design of your
rocket.) Build a rocket based on the principles discussed in class and in your research. The
"engine" will consist of one 2-liter bottle pressurized to 90 psi that contains your chosen amount
of water. All other rocket components must be attached to the engine bottle without damaging it.
Your rocket must be easily re-launchable - you must launch your rocket twice.
2. Gathering background data:
We will launch your first draft rockets to see what does and doesn't work. We will collect engine
thrust data for soda bottles filled with various amounts of water, pressurized, and shot against a
force plate. Choose the amount of water to use in your rocket based on your analysis.
3. Test and refine the design of your rocket.
Perform the "swing test" to determine the stability of your rocket. Make adjustments to your
rocket until it is stable. Make adjustments to minimize the drag on your rocket (aerodynamics).
4. Launch your rocket.
Find the mass of the completed rocket without water. Fill the rocket with the amount of water
you chose.
This is a SAMPLE
Design!!!!
POINT BREAKDOWN: 100 project points total
Report: 60 total points (NO POINTS IF YOU DO NOT DO THE ROUGH
DRAFT AND FINAL DRAFT!)
Building Rocket Procedure: 40 points (YOU RECEIVE POINTS FOR
COMPLETING ALL OF THE STEPS & reaching a minimum height of
250 feet)