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Model Rockets

Model rockets are made or assembled by hand, and propelled by a variety of means; the hobby can be quite simple, or very involved. This category will cover the information and skill levels on making and launching model rockets.

500 Questions

What are the methods of rocket propulsion?

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All methods of rocket propulsion are based on the exchange of momentum between the rocket and the fuel. This basically means throwing something behind the rocket at high speed. In essence, throwing a ball away from you is the same principle, you will experience a small force as the ball is thrown, a rocket does this on a huge scale. Many things can be used the achieve this affect

Chemical Rockets - Ignite a combustible fuel under pressure and use the expelled water and other by products to achieve a thrust. The escaping water is travelling at a huge speed so the rocket moves. Contrary to popular belief, fire does not = thrust.

Ion Propulsion - Using accelerated ions by using a system much like a mini LHC to provide a very small thrust, generally only used by small, unmanned craft due to practical limitations of this technology.

Nuclear Propulsion - The most effective form of propulsion ever conceived, drops tiny nuclear devices behind the craft and detonates them, using the expelled matter from the explosion to propel the craft. These craft were developed by the USA in the 70s but are now illegal under the partial test ban treaty. (See Project Orion)

Other forms - Accelerating rogue dust particles in space to achieve thrust (not very effective), using antimatter particles and using them as annihilation charges in a similar system to nuclear propulsion (the holy grail of space travel). Multiple theoretical engines exist, worth looking around on the internet.

Why can't you fly a model rocket into a cloud?

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Gravity will pull it down before the rocket can reach the height where clouds form.

What does the shock cord do in a rocket?

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The purpose of the shock cord is to tie the nose cone to the body of the rocket, so it can come off, but not get lost. Using Google isn't very hard.

How expensive are model rockets?

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They can vary as much as a car. It depends upon the components that you add to the rocket. See the related link for prices.

Do model rocket engines provide a constant thrust level of thrush or does it vary?

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In short, yes and no. Model Rockets use solid fuel (propellant) in their engines (more commonly referred to as motors). This fuel burns, it doesn't explode. Therefore, like anything that burns quickly, there will be irregularities and flaws where it burns more quickly (or slower) than other areas of the propellant grain. These flaws and irregularities come from the process of making the propellant grain itself (it's an incredibly difficult task), and they're inherent when you have any rocket motor.

Interestingly enough, these irregularities are rather consistent and can be represented well in thrust curves (they'll be provided by the manufacturer of the motor). Most of these thrust curves provide constant thrust, with a few bumps here and there. Again, that's just the price you pay for solid burning motors.

So, to answer your question, yes, rocket motors are designed to provide constant thrust. However, there will be irregularities in the thrust performance as the propellant grain burns. It won't be enough to affect the rocket's flight, though.

On a side note, if you DO want constant thrust, use liquid propellant. Good luck doing it on the cheap, though. Or not dying while doing it, for that matter.

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Actually some model rocket engines are designed to produce a burst of thrust and quit, others are designed to produce a long nearly steady burn, It all depends on the shape that the fuel grain is molded in. You will have to consult the thrust graph in the data sheet.

Because model rockets must get off the pad quick to fly stably even the steady burn engines are designed to provide a burst of thrust initially before dropping back to the lower sustaining level.

For what it is worth use of liquid fuel engines on model rockets is illegal. If you want to try liquid fueled engines someday you will have to join an Amateur Rocketry group and apply for permits to launch with the FAA so that aircraft will avoid the area.

What is the strongest rocket?

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The Delta II-Heavy used for Dawn is the strongest rocketin the Delta II class.

The Saturn V remains the largest and most powerful launch vehicle ever brought to operational status from a height, weight and payload standpoint.

Disadvantage to having fins on a rocket?

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It makes it more streamlined and reduces drag and it keeps it on a good flight path and a good trajectory. Also if it falls down, it keeps it stable and on the front where it will hit the floor first it will be reinforced in some sort of way.

It also helps with balance and stability, the same way that a three-legged stool is more stable than something with only two legs (like people.)

How do you make a bottle rocket go further in the air?

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1. Reduce the total mass (make it weigh less)

2. Improve stability- the greater the stability the straighter the rocket's flight the higher it will go, an unstable rocket will spin about erratically which greatly reduces the peak altitude (height)

3. Don't launch when it's cold and windy- both of these affect the rocket's altitude

4. Reduce the Cd (coefficient of drag)- this is rather complicated, you usually worry about this when you are designing a rocket, not after it's built. However, painting your rocket will help.

5. Get a bigger/more powerful motor!- the motor probably affects a rockets altitude more than anything else.

When does a model rocket reach its maximum height during flight?

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In my short career as a model rocket launcher we did this. There was a tall pole near our launcher. I called the company that installed the pole and they told me it 73 feet tall.

Someone, usually my younger brother, would be located much farther away from the launch site. After each launch, his job was to estimate how high (or how many of those poles he thought) the rocket flew before falling back down.

Answer:

Simple geometry is needed - after all you are using a rocket and must have some math and science skills. An observer at a distance follows the flight of a rocket along a moveable bar. The angle of the bar at the top of the trajectory and the distance of the observer from the launch pad is converted into altitude by the formula:

cot A =adjacent/opposite

where A id the observed angle fromthe horizontal, the adjacent is the distance to the pad from the observer, and opposite the height of the rocket.

All that's needed is to reorganize the equation and finf the cotangent of the angle:

Opposite = adjacent/cot A


How does impulse affect rocket flight?

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The higher the impulse of a particular motor, the larger and faster and higher it will cause the rocket to travel. Impulse is a term that describes the relative strength of a rocket motor. The impulse of a given engine is found by multiplying the average force that the motor will push with by the number of seconds that the motor will push. Model rocket motors are usually measured using the metric system, where the units of force are "newtons". If a motor pushed with a force of 10 newtons for 3 seconds, this motor would have an impulse of 30 newton-seconds (usually written 30 N-s). This is the same impulse as a motor which pushes with a force of 3 newtons for 10 seconds. When choosing between two motors with the same impulse, the decision to use a shorter duration with higher force or longer duration with lower force, is made based on the amount of drag and the mass of the rocket and other factors, but these factors are usually much less important than selecting the impulse of the engine. In the United States, model rocket motors use a letter desigtation followed by a pair of numbers, such as "B-6-4". The letter describes the approximate impulse of the motor. "A" motors have around 2.5 N-s of impulse, "B"s have twice as much impulse as "A"s, "C"s have twice as much impulse as "B"s etc.

What does thrust do on a model rocket?

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Thrust is the main component in rocket building. It is the driving force. Im totally joking your so effin gay...wtf is wrong with you...get a girl and stop going on wiki answers like an old saggy ball pedeifle...get a freaken life you overweight assclown

Do you need to have a permit to launch a model rocket?

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some you need a license but most you don't you can get them at most Hobie shops

How long does a model rocket motor last?

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Provided they are kept in a dry, cool, and stable environment, they should last indefinitely. The ingredients are non-volatile, so they do not really degrade over time.

If you want to know how long they burn for, you need to look at the rating on the side of the rocket. A higher thrust number means that it will burn for a shorter amount of time. Most small model rocket engines burn for 3 to 5 seconds.

What are the basic parts of a model rocket engine?

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Propellant Controls - usually tail fins Gyro - keeps rocket on course Payload

What are the purposes of the fins on a rocket?

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The fins on early rockets were used to control the direction of flight. Fins act to stabilize the vehicle, too. Most modern rockets have motors mounted on gimbals, so that the trajectory of the rocket can be controlled by changing the direction of thrust. That's why fins are absent on contemporary rockets. Note that they are still present on the small, hobby vehicles because they improve performance.

Is smoke coming out of a rocket a indicator that the engine is producing thrust?

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not exactly,there could be powder coming out of a hole or puncture in the rocket.that could cause an explosion sending flaming debree everywhere.you should inspect the rocket first.if you see lots of smoke you can:

a.throw a rock at it while it is still low to the ground

b.send another rocket at it to make it explode

c.DON'T LAUNCH ROCKETS WITHOUT INSPECTING THEM!

How long should the body of a model rocket be?

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It depends on what type of rocket you are building.

How do you assemble the Estes model rocket launch stand?

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They all come with very detailed instructions, follow them carefully. Most important is gluing the fins absolutely parallel to the body. Also use a light glue like crazy glue, rather than white glue.

Where do you launch a model rocket?

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We find places out in the country where there are no buildings or trees for at least 5-6 blocks around. Favorite places are where land has been cleared for building on , but building has not yet started.

How rocket flying?

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3rd law of force by newton.every action has an equal and opposite reaction well there is a combustion chamber in the rocket where fuel and gases are burnt using liquid oxygen.they are thrown out of the rocket with tremendous force and they equally and in the opposite direction push the rocket ahead

You can have different kinds of ways to make a rocket fly. you an use a pump to pump the rocket up into the air, put a antacid tablet to make it fly

Why do you put four fins on a rocket?

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because they don't need anymore than three fins to keep them on straight course

How long does a rocket travel?

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Generally unguided rockets used as weapons do not travel as far as missiles, which is the term for guided weapons. Rockets used as fireworks only travel a few hundred feet vertically. Model rockets may reach a height of a mile or more. Rockets used to launch satellites propel the payload above the atmosphere, which expends most of their fuel.

When were rockets invented?

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The first rockets were invented in China sometime between the 9th and 13th centuries (A.D). These were black powder rockets that were essentially what we would call fireworks today, but were technically what are known as solid fuel rockets.

Significant improvements in solid fuel rockets were made by William Congreve in England in the early 19th century.

The Russian Konstantine Tsiolkovsky was the first to seriously propose a liquid fueled rocket in 1903.

The first successful liquid fueled rocket was built by Robert Goddard of the U.S., and patents were issued in 1914. Goddard's first successful liquid fueled rocket launch was in 1926 in Auburn, Massachusetts.

They were as much a psychological weapon as a physical one, for they were rarely or never used except alongside other types of artillery.

The first rocket reached space on October 3, 1942. It was the V2 rocket made by the Germans as a ballistic missile to deliver bombs during World War 2.

Sputnik Rocket, the first rocket to launch a payload into orbit back in 1957, was developed by the Soviet Union in the mid 1950s.

Vostok 8K72K, the first rocket used to launch a person into space back in 1961, was developed shortly after the sputnik rocket.

What are the phases of a model rockets flight?

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it starts with the pelvic thrust then erection and then boom goes the dynamite