Mr. Hayhurst's Quick and Easy Bottle Rocket
Much of this information was "borrowed" from
![3D"Selected](3D"http://www.lnhs.org/hayhurst/images/lgweblogo.GIF")
Problem
Create one bottle rocket that will fly straight and remain aloft for = a=20 maximum amount of time.
Materials
Two 2-liter bottles
One small plastic cone (athletic)
Duct=20
Tape
Scissors
String
Manila Folder
Large Plastic Trash Bag=20
Masking Tape or Avery Paper reinforcement labels (you'll need =
32/chute.)=20
Hole punch
Procedure
Cut the top and the bottom off of one bottle, so that = the center=20 portion or a cylinder remains.
![](3D"http://www.lnhs.org/hayhurst/rockets/Image120.gif"=20)
Tape the cylinder to another bottle to create a fuselage (a place to = store=20 the parachute).
![](3D"http://www.lnhs.org/hayhurst/rockets/Image121.gif"=20)
Get the manila folder; fins will be made from it. Cut = three shapes=20 out of the folded bottom in the shape that the diagram shows. Your fins = will be=20 triangular.
![3D"Cut](3D"http://www.lnhs.org/hayhurst/rockets/Image125.gif")
![3D"Cut](3D"http://www.lnhs.org/hayhurst/rockets/fin1.jpg")
The next drawing indicates how the fin should look once folded.
![3D"Side](3D"http://www.lnhs.org/hayhurst/rockets/Mvc-011f_small.jpg")
Mark straight lines on the bottle by putting the bottle = in the=20 door frame or a right angle and trace a line on the bottle with a = marker. Use=20 these lines as guides to place the fins on the bottles.
Make three fins and tape them on the rocket. Be sure that the fins = are spaced=20 equally around the rocket body. This can be achieved by using a piece of = string=20 and wrapping it around the bottle and marking the string where it meets = the end.=20 Mark the string and lay it flat on a meter-stick or ruler. Find the=20 circumference of the bottle by measuring the length of the string to the = mark.=20 Once you know the circumference, then you can divide it by three to find = the=20 distances the fins should be separated.
![](3D"http://www.lnhs.org/hayhurst/rockets/Image127.gif"=20)
![3D"Green](3D"http://www.lnhs.org/hayhurst/rockets/Mvc-010f_small.jpg")
Use the athletic cone to make your nose cone. Use fairly rigid = scissors and=20 cut the bottom square off of the cone. Depending upon your project's = mass=20 limitations, place a golf ball sized piece of clay in the tip of the = cone. This=20 will add mass to the cone and give the rocket/cone more inertia. Then, = using=20 scissors, trim the cone to make it symmetrical. (Hint: the diameter of = the=20 bottom of the cone should be a little wider than the diameter of a = 2-liter=20 bottle.
![3D"Orange](3D"http://www.lnhs.org/hayhurst/rockets/cone.jpg")
Attach the cone with string to the top of the other two-liter bottles = so that=20 it looks like the diagram. Tie a knot in the end of each piece of string = to give=20 it more friction and tape it using a piece of duct tape to the inside of = the=20 cone and to the inside of the rocket body.
Many students have trouble with their nosecone getting = stuck on=20 the top of the rocket and not coming off. This can be prevented by = making a=20 pedestal for the cone to sit on. It should be high enough up so that = there is=20 space between the cone and the top of the parachute compartment. You can = make a=20 pedestal out of the same material you will make the fins, the manila = folder.=20 Make three mini-fins, invert them and tape them on the rocket where the = cone=20 should sit.
Making the Parachute
Don't forget a good parachute has shroud lines that are at least as = long as=20 the diameter of the canopy.
Lay your garbage bag out flat. Cut off the closed end. It should look = like a=20 large rectangle and be open at both ends. Lay down the bag on a flat = surface and=20 smooth it out.
The bag has a long side and a short side and is open at both ends. = Fold it in=20 two so that the short side is half as long as it was = originally.
Make sure the edges are perfectly lined up during each fold. Now fold = it in=20 half along the long axis.
Make a triangle with the base of the triangle being the closed end of = the=20 previous fold.
Now fold it again. Fold the hypotenuse so that it lines up with the = right=20 side of the triangle in the above drawing.
Examine the base of the triangle and find the shortest length from = the tip to=20 the base. This is the limiting factor for chute size. The most pointed = end will=20 end up being the middle of the canopy.
For an example; if you want the diameter of the chute to be 34 inches = then=20 measure 17 inches from the center of the canopy (the most pointed side = of the=20 parachute) along each side, mark it and then cut it.
![3D"Finally,](3D"http://www.lnhs.org/hayhurst/rockets/Mvc-022f_small.jpg")
![](3D"http://www.lnhs.org/hayhurst/rockets/Mvc-009f.jpg"){kind=link}
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![](3D"http://www.lnhs.org/hayhurst/rockets/Mvc-016f.jpg"){kind=link}
![](3D"http://www.lnhs.org/hayhurst/rockets/Mvc-017f.jpg"){kind=link}
![](3D"http://www.lnhs.org/hayhurst/rockets/Mvc-018f.jpg"){kind=link}
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![](3D"http://www.lnhs.org/hayhurst/rockets/Mvc-021f.jpg"){kind=link}
After cutting it, unfold it. If you have been successful there should = be two=20 canopies.
![](3D"http://www.lnhs.org/hayhurst/rockets/Mvc-023f.jpg"){kind=link}
Fold the canopy in half, then into quarters, then into eighths. = Carefully=20 crease the folds each time. Crease it well and fold it again. Now the = canopy is=20 divided into 16ths. Unfold the parachute. Notice the crease marks. Get = masking=20 tape and put a piece around the edge at each fold mark. You may also use = Avery=20 reinforcement tabs. Place one on both the inside and outside of every = crease,=20 making sure that they are overlaid on top of each other.
Punch holes through every piece of masking tape or Avery tab pairs = and use=20 these to attach the kite-string shroud lines.
![](3D"http://www.lnhs.org/hayhurst/rockets/Image135.gif"){kind=link}
![](3D"http://www.lnhs.org/hayhurst/rockets/Mvc-024f.jpg"){kind=link}
As mentioned earlier the minimum length of the shroud line should be = the same=20 length as the diameter of the canopy.
After punching the holes fold the canopy in half. Pick four holes and = tie the=20 shroud lines to the holes. After doing this tie the four lines together = at the=20 end most distant from the canopy.
Repeat this four times until the chute is completed.
Once you have it complete attach it inside the fuselage. Generally a = couple=20 of pieces of duct tape will hold the parachute to the rocket. Pack the = parachute=20 loosely and put the nosecone on the rocket.
You are now ready to launch your rocket.
![](3D"http://www.lnhs.org/hayhurst/rockets/Mvc-025f.jpg"){kind=link}
Carefully read the safety instructions. Fill the rocket half full of = water,=20 place on the launch pad, pressurize, and launch.
![](3D"http://www.lnhs.org/hayhurst/rockets/Mvc-006f.jpg"){kind=link}
![](3D"http://www.lnhs.org/hayhurst/rockets/Mvc-005f.jpg"){kind=link}
Be safe, and have =
fun!
Copyright ![3D"5,](3D"http://www.lnhs.org/hayhurst/rockets/Mvc-027f_small.jpg")
Home =
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Last=20
Updated: Wednesday, November 17, =
2004=20
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