Ultimate Straw Rocket!

by pudi.dk in Outside > Rockets

135059 Views, 198 Favorites, 0 Comments

Ultimate Straw Rocket!

DSC01862.JPG
What is the "Ultimate Straw Rocket"?
Answer: A very easy to make rocket made from a drinking straw, and launched using air pressure.
Almost everyone will be able to make this, it does not require any hard-to-find items, but also can it be made in very little time. Therefore will the rockets themselves be very easy to mass produce.
They will fly HIGH up in the air, and then land on the ground, completely safe!

Okay let's get started!


Gathering Materials

DSC01846.JPG
As first said, the items are very easy to get, and you probably already have them lying around your house.
You will need to print following document to continue, though:
Download this .doc!

The rest of the materials are descriped in the picture.

Making the Rocket

DSC01849.JPG
DSC01850.JPG
Cut a 6cm piece of a straw.
Put a dot of hot glue in one end of the straw making sure it's air tight.

Attaching Fins

DSC01848.JPG
DSC01854.JPG
DSC01855.JPG
DSC01856.JPG
Now cut out a pair of fins from the printed document.
Then fold and glue the fins together. Stippled lines means "fold backwards", whereas straight lines means the opposite.
You can use hot glue to glue the fins together, but I find that white glue (Elmer's glue or wood glue) works well.

Then glue the backside (the white side) and attach it around the straw, approximately 1-1.5 cm from the open end of the straw.

Launch It!

DSC01857.JPG
DSC01858.JPG
The rocket is finished now! Wasn't that easy?
Now for launching it:
Insert it all the way down in the nozzle of the bike pump, and give the bike pump a good, fast pump! Now enjoy your small flying rockets...
I had my rockets to go as high as ~10 metres!
Don't forget goggles, you don't want the rocket in your, or everyone else's eyes.



Thanks to Peter Hald for inspiration.