Model Rocket

Final
Presentation
By Amy Nguyen and Sidney Boakye
Junior Physics Mentorship
Acknowledgements Dr. Psaker

The Governors
School @ Innovation
Park

Our Peers

DAP Products Inc.

Introduction/Background

The concept of flight has always fascinated people throughout human history. In our project, we also attempt to nurture our
curiosity using model rocketry. Our project was based on The Team America Rocketry Challenge. This is a challenge
which ask high school student to construct and launch a model rocket 750 feet into the air and safely bring the apparatus
back down. The rocket must reach the desired height in 42 seconds and return to the ground with minimal visible damage.
On top of this, a hen egg must be loaded inside of the rocket and remain intact from start to finish. The materials used must
be 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. This project explores various concepts related to physics including
propulsion, structural analysis, altitude determination, CAD simulation, inertia and various gravitational concepts.
Questions

How far can an egg be launched in a rocket before landing safely

down on the ground with no damage to the egg or rocket?

How does the velocity of the rocket compare between

propellent-powered flight, and the state of freefall?
Hypothesis

If the rocket flies up for 41-43 seconds, then it will reach

an altitude of 775 feet around that time period.
Rock Sim Data:

Max altitude: 1632.84 ft

Max Velocity: 571.46 ft/sec

Time to apogee (Maximum altitude): 6.20 Seconds

 -Centering Rings
Materials -Motor Mount
-Couplers
-Balsa Wood
-Nose Cone
-Rocket Igniter
-Model Rocket Launch Pad
-12 inch Parachute
-Cardboard
-Body Tube
-Foam Sheet
-Altimeter
-Rapid Fuse: All Purpose Adhesive
Initial Design
Construction:
Parachute
-Used an egg holder from an egg
carton
-Attached the parachute to the egg
holder using tape
Construction
Body Tubes

The body tubes were linked

together using couplers
The fins were constructed using the balsa
wood and connected to the bottom tube.

The
Motors The image at the top right
displays a modified
centering ring. The
purchased centering rings
had too small of an inner
ring for motor mount. To
combat this, the inner ring
was modified.

The image at the bottom

right displays the motor for
the rocket properly fitted
into the motor mount.
Nose Cone Initial design
Methods Launch site
open area:
Rippon Middle
Electric Ignition
Pre-flight
checks
Timer and
Launch
Recovery
Launch Data
 After the rocket had landed, the altimeter
was taken out and after being plugged
into the computer, the maximum height,
total time of flight, as well as the time
before freefall had been recorded.

Data Collection
The data was then used in calculations
the calculations.
Data/Results

RockSim Data:
Max altitude: 1632.84 ft
Max Velocity: 571.46 ft/sec
Time to apogee (Maximum altitude): 6.20 Seconds
Actual Data:
Max Altitude: 81 ft
Max Velocity: 566.27 ft/s
Time to apogee (Maximum altitude) : 3.59 seconds
Calculations

hmax= 81 ft
m= 361.2 g= .3612 kg
t1= 2.16 seconds
tup= 3.59 seconds
t2= 3.59-2.16 = 1.43 seconds
Vinitial= 0
Vfinal= ?
Jnet= P
Jnet= Jthrust - Jgravity
Jthrust= 70 N/s (given)
Jgravity= m*g* t1= .3612*9.81*2.16= 7.653 m*kg
P= mvfinal - mvinitial
Calculations
Continued

P= mvfinal b/c mvinital= 0

Jthrust-Jgravity = mvfinal
70 - 7.653 = .3612 vfinal
vfinal= 556.27 m/s
 The velocity in time 1 and time 2 are
very different. The velocity in time 1 was
higher because of thrust and the velocity
Data Analysis in time 2 is lower because as its in free
fall, the only force acting on it is gravity.
Conclusions The rocket flew only
81 feet within 3.59
seconds.
Resources
Engine Mount. (2007). Instructions for Building Model Rockets:Installing the Engine Mount

When Building Model Rockets. Retrieved from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yz1sRgRFvq8

Motor Mount. (2009). Retrieved July 20, 2009, from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyTu-r4j6wU

Rocketry One. (2008). Rocketry How-to Part 1: How Model Rockets Work. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYh1pWHoQXE&t=2s

Rocketry Two. (2008). Rocketry How-to Part 2: Components for a Rocket. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kAkitKKKlA

Rocketry Three. (2008). Rocketry How-to Part 3: Construction Techniques and Supplies. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxQ7vGgXx5Y

Rocketry Four. (2008). Rocketry How-to Part 4: Finishing the Rocket's Fins. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xS021hCT3LU

Rocketry Challenge. (2015). Team America Rocketry Challenge. Retrieved from

http://rocketcontest.org/

TARC 2016. (2016). TARC 2016 Video. Retrieved from

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