How to Build a Model Rocket

You can build, launch, track and take pictures in flight from your own model rocket built from scratch. Using listed materials, design and build a chemical-powered rocket capable of 1,000 feet of powered flight and recoverable via parachute. Your finished rocket will have these specifications: 15.1 inches long; 0.976 inches in diameter; 1.0 ounces; and an A8-3 engine type.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Elmer's glue
• Long rubber band
• White computer paper
• Brown bag to cut into strips
• Round wood stock
• Model glue
• Small diameter straw
• 2 cardboard tubes
• Chemical rocket engine--A8-3
• Plastic garbage bag
• Eyelet stickers
• 22-gauge wire
• Rocket camera (find at local hobby shop)
• Paint (to add your own touch)
• Scissors
• Wire cutters
• Launch gantry
• 9-volt two terminal battery
• 20-gauge electrical wire
• Wire strippers
• Metal wire clips

1. Assemble the rocket tube. Use 12-inch long cardboard tube as a molding tube. Wrap white sheet of paper, lengthwise around molding tube and glue paper to paper. Cut three strips of brown paper 1/2 inch wide and length of paper. Wrap strips around paper tube starting at top of tube and winding around tube top to bottom, gluing each end. Alternate tube ends until all brown paper is used up. Remove the mold tube.

2. Make the nose cone. Use sand paper and wood files to shape round wood stock into nose cone shape, making sure the nose cone fits into the rocket tube. Attach eyelet in the center of the flat end of the nose cone.

3. Create the engine mount. Use carboard tube 2 1/2-inches long and 1/16th smaller than rocket tube mold. Fold white paper to 1/4-inch longer than length of tube. Cut 22 gauge wire piece 1/2 inch longer than engine mount tube. Cut small hole in engine mount tube 1/4 inch from one end. Insert 1/4 inch of wire piece into hole and bend flat against engine mount tube.Glue wire to tube (model glue works best). Place glue around the inside of the rocket tube bottom and insert engine mount.

4. Put together the parachute. Cut a piece of plastic 1-foot by 6-inches (garbage bags work best). Attach the eyelet stickers to each corner on both sides. Puncture a small hole in the center of the eyelet. Cut 4 1-foot pieces of kite string and attach one end to the parachute and one end to nose cone metal eyelet.

5. Add the shock cord. Cut a 6-inch piece of white paper. Divide into three sections. Glue rubber band to end section and fold section over. Fold each section over and glue (Elmers glue works best). Glue paper end to the inside of the rocket tube and attach the rubber band to the nose cone.

6. Make the launch lug. Cut 2-inch piece of small diameter straw. Glue vertically to the side of the rocket tube (model glue works best).

7. Install the rocket camera per instructions with camera.

8. Prepare a launch site and a launch gantry. The launch gantry can be purchased at you local hobby shop. The rocket engine can also be purchased at you local Wal-Mart or hobby shop.

9. Get three friends to spot and time the rocket launch. Your three friends should be evenly spaced in an arch pattern. Measure the distance to each spotter and put the number in your calculations. Spotters should each time the launch from lift off to beginning of ballistic curve.

10. Install the rocket engine and place igniter in the depression in the rocket engine at the launch pad. Attach wire clips to the opposite end of the wire and clip one to each igniter wire.

11. Touch open wire lead to the positive battery terminal. The igniter will start the chemical propellant and launch the rocket. Touch the open wire lead to the positive battery terminal. The igniter will start the chemical propellant and launch the rocket.

12. Add time to provided calculations to establish height and distance of the flight. Put one electrical wire strand around the negative terminal of the battery. Activate your camera via remote control. Use binoculars to track and follow your rocket. When the parachute deploys have spotters recover the rocket as it comes down.

Tips & Warnings

• Paper windings around rocket tube should leave no openings in the wraps. If openings appear, use Elmer's glue to flatten wraps against the rocket tube. Make sure shock cord is securely glued to the inside of rocket tube or parachute will not deploy properly.
• Take note of the following information on launch day: weather conditions, barametric pressure, humidity, wind direction, wind speed and time of day/night.
• Tracking information:
• 1. Distance from launch site to recorders
• 2. Ballistic angle measurement (use three spotters, take average of 3)
• 3. H=Tan x A
• 4. H=Ft
• 5. Time to max altitude (use three timers and take average of the 3)
• 6. Average velocity=H divided by T=ft/secs
• Rocket engines are extremely dangerous when not used properly. Minors should be supervised when launching the rocket.
• Make sure wire leads extend far enough away from rocket so that you will not be burned by engine burn.