RUNNER HEAD: ROCKET CONTEST

Team America Rocketry Contest

By Amy Nguyen and Sidney Boakye
11//28/2016
Governor's School @ Innovation Park
Dr. Psaker

ROCKET CONTEST

Abstract (Summary)
Space and astronomy alike contain many vast unknowns that spark the curiosities of
minds from all walks of life. The only way to really find the answers to these unknowns is by
rockets, the vehicle astronomers use to get to these mysteries. Although the technology for space
has existed since 1898 and the technology for rockets has existed since 1232, there is still a lot of
room for improvements regarding safety and propulsion.
The Team America Rocketry Challenge has given students from middle to high
school a chance to explore these concepts of astronomical technology. In this project, a rocket
will be built using materials approved by the AIA, Aerospace Industries Association, as well as
the Federal Laws of Aviation and the Model Rocket Safety Code of the National Association of
Rocketry.. The rocket will propel a regular hens egg to the highest altitude possible, then the
rocket will safely land in tact, with the egg undamaged. This project will explore various
concepts related to physics including thrust, propulsion, vehicle and rocket safety, as well as
inertia and various gravitational concepts.

ROCKET CONTEST

Materials and Methods

The parameters of the rules of the Team America Rocketry Contest state that the rocket
must not exceed 650 grams gross weight at liftoff. They must use body tubes of two different
diameters for their exterior structure. The smaller-diameter of the two must be used for the lower
(motor and fin) end of the rocket and must not be greater than 42 millimeters (1.65 inches,
corresponding to body tubes generally called BT-60) in diameter, and the larger one must be
large enough to contain the egg (which may be up to 45 millimeters) plus padding and altimeter.
Each tube must have no less than 150 millimeters (5.91 inches) of exposed length, and the
overall length of the rocket must be no less than 650 millimeters (25.6 inches) as measured from
the lowest to the highest points of the airframe structure in launch configuration. Rockets may
not be commercially-made kits designed to carry egg payloads with the only modification being
the addition of an altimeter compartment. They must have only one stage. They must be powered
only by commercially-made model rocket motors of F or lower power class that are listed on
the TARC Certified Engine List posted on the TARC website and provided in the TARC
Handbook.
The materials needed include balsa wood, a nose cone, rocket engines, a rocket igniter, a
model launch pad, a 12 inch parachute made out of plastic, a body tube, foam, bubble wrap,
streamers, a firefly altimeter, and a motor mount.
Here are the current technical drawings:

ROCKET CONTEST

Fig. 1
We are planning to make the rocket as small as can be and made of the most lightweight
material, while still able to meet the requirements of safely holding an egg and lifting off with
the highest altitude possible. We have also looked into many different resources and tutorials to
build the strongest and most compact rocket possible.

ROCKET CONTEST

Analysis
Because rocketry is the basis of our project, knowing the specifics of what goes
on at an atomic and physical level will aid us in our research. We believe that this opportunity
can help to improve safety and technology within the rocketry world and maximize the potential
of model rockets in their contribution to science and research. With the materials able to be
found in everyday stores, we believe that they are readily available for our usage. All we need to
do is build a rocket following the plan we have so far while keeping our minds open for new
ideas that would greatly improve the project. We will then need to test to make sure that it flies
as high as possible and lands as safely as possible. We may need to conduct multiple trials.
Finally on the day of the contest, we will launch our rocket and hope that it would be one of the
safest with the highest altitude possible.

ROCKET CONTEST

References
Aerospace Industries Association AIA (2016). Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYh1pWHoQXE&t=2s

Aerospace Industries Association AIA (2016). Retrieved from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZZMcnH-WA8&t=7s

Hall, N. (2015). Rocket Propulsion. Retrieved, from

https://www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/airplane/rocket.html

Hall, N. (2015). Propeller Propulsion. Retrieved from

https://www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/airplane/propeller.html

Hall, N. (2015). Ramjet Propulsion. Retrieved from

https://www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/airplane/ramjet.html

Hall, N. (2015). Welcome to the Beginner's Guide to Propulsion. Retrieved from

https://www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/airplane/bgp.html

Hall, N. (2015). Newton's Third Law of Motion Applied to Areodynamics. Retrieved from
https://www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/airplane/newton3.html

ROCKET CONTEST

Hall, N. (2015). What is Thrust? Retrieved from

https://www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/airplane/thrust1.html

Hall, N. (2015). Gas Turbine Propulsion. Retrieved from

https://www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/airplane/turbine.html
Hall, N. (Ed.). (2015). General Thrust Equation. Retrieved from
https://www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/airplane/thrsteq.html

How to Build Model Rockets. Retrieved from http://www.leadingedgerocketry.com/how_to.php

NASA Staff. Brief History of Rockets. Retrieved from

https://www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/TRC/Rockets/history_of_rockets.html

TARC. (2016). TARC Rulebook (2017 ed.). Arlington, VA: AIA.