Water Rocket Launch

Provided by TryEngineering - www.tryengineering.org

Lesson Focus

Lesson focuses on aerospace engineering and how space flight has been achieved from an
engineering vantage point. Student teams build and launch a rocket made out of a soda
bottle and powered with an air pump and consider the forces on a rocket, Newton's Laws,
and other principles and challenges of actual space vehicle launch. Teams design their
structure on paper, learn about aerospace engineering, launch their rocket, and share
observations with their class.

Lesson Synopsis

The "Water Rocket Launch" lesson explores rocketry and the principals of space flight.
Students work in teams with teacher supervision and construct and launch a rocket from a
soda bottle and everyday materials that is powered by an air pump. They observe their
own achievements and challenges, as well as those of other student teams, complete a
reflection sheet, and present their experiences to the class.

Age Levels
8-18

Objectives
Learn about aerospace engineering.
Learn about engineering design and redesign.
Learn about space flight.
Learn how engineering can help solve society's
challenges.
Learn about teamwork and problem solving.

Anticipated Learner Outcomes

As a result of this activity, students should develop an

understanding of:

aerospace engineering
engineering design
space flight
teamwork

Lesson Activities

Students explore how engineers have developed rockets over the years, and learn about
the principals of rocketry. They work in teams to construct and launch a rocket made
from a soda bottle that launches with an air pump under teacher supervision. The
students compare their accomplishments and challenges with those of other student
teams, complete a reflection sheet, and present to the class.

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Resources/Materials

Teacher Resource Documents (attached)

Student Resource Sheet (attached)
Student Worksheet (attached)

Alignment to Curriculum Frameworks

See curriculum alignment sheet at end of lesson.

Internet Connections

TryEngineering (www.tryengineering.org)
Timeline of Rocket History
(http://history.msfc.nasa.gov/rocketry/)
NASA Beginners Guide to Rockets
(www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K12/rocket/bgmr.html)
European Space Agency - Space Engineering
(www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Space_Engineering)
Rocketry Planet (www.rocketryplanet.com)
National Science Education Standards
(www.nsta.org/publications/nses.aspx)
ITEA Standards for Technological Literacy
(www.iteaconnect.org/TAA)

Recommended Reading

Rockets and Missiles: The Life Story of a Technology (ISBN:

978-0801887925)
Rocket and Spacecraft Propulsion: Principles, Practice and
New Developments (ISBN: 978-3642088698)
It's ONLY Rocket Science (ISBN: 978-0387753775)
"A Pictorial History of Rockets"
(www.nasa.gov/pdf/153410main_Rockets_History.pdf)
Soda-Pop Rockets: 20 Sensational Rockets to Make from
Plastic Bottles (ISBN: 978-1556529603)

Optional Writing Activity

Write an essay or a paragraph describing an example of

rockets might be used to help society in peaceful times.

Safety Notes

This is an outside activity.

This exercise should only be done under the supervision of a
qualified teacher.
Safety glasses should be worn at all times.
Since a quantity of water will be sprayed over the floor, it is suggested that old
clothes or rain coats be worn by the test crew.
Observing students should stand safely back from launch site.

Related Lesson

TryEngineering.org offers a lesson incorporating traditional rockets called "Blast Off"

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Water Rocket Launch

For Teachers:
Teacher Resources
Lesson Goal
The "Water Rocket Launch" lesson explores rocketry and the principals of space flight.
Students work in teams with teacher supervision and construct and launch a rocket from a
soda bottle and everyday materials that is powered by an air pump. They observe their
own achievements and challenges, as well as those of other student teams, complete a
reflection sheet, and present their experiences to the class.

Lesson Objectives
Learn about aerospace engineering.
Learn about engineering design and redesign.
Learn about space flight.
Learn how engineering can help solve society's
challenges.
Learn about teamwork and problem solving.

Materials
Student Resource Sheets
Student Worksheets
Student Team Materials (if building from everyday
items: empty soda bottle, cork, paper, pen, pencil;
plastic tubing, bicycle tire valve, cardboard, glue,
tape, rubber bands, foil, decoration materials.)
Kit option: Water bottle rocket kits may be
purchased inexpensively (via Amazon.com,
Antigravity Research at
http://antigravityresearch.com, or through most
teacher supply stores globally and might be better for younger students, or where
there may be issues in drilling a hole through the required cork.
Classroom Materials: water source, drill (if not using a kit), bicycle tire pump,
system/tools for measuring how high the rockets fly.
Internet access (optional) to explore www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/rocket/ for
research and to use online rocket simulator

Procedure
1. Show students the student reference sheets. These may be read in class or
provided as reading material for the prior night's homework.
2. To introduce the lesson, consider asking the students how they think a rocket can
fly and how engineers have to consider payload, weather, and the shape and
weight of a rocket when developing a new or re-engineered rocket design.
3. Teams of 3-4 students will consider their challenge, read about rocketry, and
explore the online rocket simulator (if internet access is available)
4. Teams next build and launch their rocket as a team, and observe the flight patterns
of other rockets that are launched.
5. For an optional challenge, require students to launch a payload with their rocket.
They'll have to develop a design, add a way to hold an item such as a hardboiled
egg or tennis ball on their rocket, and evaluate which design worked best.
6. Teams reflect on the experience, and present to the class.
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Water Rocket Launch

For Teachers:
Teacher Resources (continued)

Detailed Assembly and Launch Instructions

If not using a kit, the procedure is as follows:

Empty and clean a large plastic soda or
water bottle.
You will need to make the rocket stand up
on its own upside down (cap down)so
either guide students to make "tail fins" out
of cardboard that can support the weight of
a bottle that is 1/4 filled with tap/still
water, or make a stand for the class out of
wood that will keep the rocket upright
during launch. Lengths of wooden dowel
held together with duct tape would suffice.
For younger students, it is best to have a
"launch pad" prepared by the teacher -this will help ensure that rockets go up and
not sideways.
If you intend to do this lesson multiple times, or want to add another layer of
consistency in results, consider building a launching stand for your school. A good
plan is at
www.nasa.gov/pdf/153405main_Rockets_Water_Roc
ket_Launcher.pdf. There are many options for
building a launcher. Another idea is to set up a joint
project with a high school class. The high schools
students can design and build the launcher, and the
younger students can build the rockets.
For older students, or to provide additional challenge,
after the initial launch, tell student teams that their
rockets must now carry a payload (hardboiled egg,
tennis ball, packs of sugar).
Students may decorate their rockets, or, for an extra
challenge, require student teams to develop a way to
adapt the rocket to carry a payload. This can be
done mid-way through testing the rockets to add a
twist to the experience.
Set up a connection from the bottle to a bicycle air pump.
o You'll need to gather corks which will need to be drilled in order to insert a
small plastic tube. Some "corks" are actually made from plastic now, and
would be easier to drill evenly. Another alternative is to obtain one of the soft
rubber plugs used as temporary stoppers in partially emptied wine bottles.
(The type which can be pushed into the neck of the bottle and the air then
pumped OUT with a small pump). In essence, the objective here is to
somehow obtain a plug which can be tightly squeezed into the neck of the
plastic bottle so that it is virtually air-tight.
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For Teachers:
Teacher Resources (continued)

Detailed Assembly and Launch Instructions (continued)

Next obtain a small valve of the type which is used to

pump up a football. Carefully drill a hole down the length
of the cork. The drill used should be smaller than the
diameter of the air valve, to ensure it is a really tight fit in
the cork.
For extra safety use a plastic tube (hardware store) to add
some space between the bicycle pump and the rocket --you'll need to have two valves to make this connection
work. (Note: many kits come with an extension tube for
safety.)

Blast Off! Fill the bottle full with tap/still water and place it
in a vertical position in its launchpad. Connect a bicycle pump
to the air valve and start pumping GENTLY. Eventually, the
pressure of air in the bottle should be sufficient to expel the
cork from the bottle. The water in the bottle will then
significantly slow down the outgoing flow of air thus giving
time for the rocket to rise to a reasonable height. The
actual height will partly depend on the weight of water in the
bottle and the tightness of fit of the cork in the neck of the
bottle. You can try using more or less water to adjust height
of the rocket. Make sure you launch in an open area and
keep student back from the launching rocket. You may get
wet so ponchos or towels are recommended!

Safety Notes
This outdoor lesson is intended for students who are under
the continual supervision of a responsible teacher or teacher
team with prior experience with rocket launch kits.
Be sure to follow your school's safety guidelines at all times.
Observing students should stay back from launch pad.
Extend the tube from the bicycle pump to the rocket as far as possible.
Never stand over a rocket when it is launching.

Time Needed
Two to four 45 minute sessions.

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Student Resource:
Rocket Principles
A rocket in its simplest form is a chamber enclosing a gas under
pressure. A small opening at one end of the chamber allows the
gas to escape, and in doing so provides a thrust that propels the
rocket in the opposite direction. A good example of this is a
balloon. Air inside a balloon is compressed by the balloon's
rubber walls. The air pushes back so that the inward and outward
pressing forces are balanced. When the nozzle is released, air
escapes through it and the balloon is propelled in the opposite
direction.
When we think of rockets, we rarely think of balloons. Instead,
our attention is drawn to the giant vehicles that carry satellites
into orbit and spacecraft to the Moon and planets. Nevertheless,
there is a strong similarity between the two. The only significant difference is the way the
pressurized gas is produced. With space rockets, the gas is produced by burning
propellants that can be solid or liquid in form or a combination of the two.
One of the interesting facts about the historical development of rockets is that while
rockets and rocket-powered devices have been in use for more than two thousand years,
it has been only in the last three hundred years that rocket experimenters have had a
scientific basis for understanding how they work.
The science of rocketry began with the publishing of a book in 1687 by the English
scientist Sir Isaac Newton. His book, entitled Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica,
described physical principles in nature. Today, Newton's work is usually just called the
Principia. In the Principia, Newton stated three important scientific principles that govern
the motion of all objects, whether on Earth or in space. Knowing these principles, now
called Newton's Laws of Motion, rocketeers have been able to construct the modern giant
rockets of the 20th century such as the Saturn V and the Space Shuttle.

Newton's Laws of Motion

Objects at rest will stay at rest and objects in motion will stay in motion in a
straight line unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.
Force is equal to mass times acceleration.
For every action there is always an opposite and equal reaction.

All three laws are really simple statements of how things move. But with them, precise
determinations of rocket performance can be made.
(Source: NASA - Visit www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/rocket for more details on rocketry.)

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Student Resource:
Rocket Principles (Continued)
Newton's First Law
This law of motion is just an obvious statement of fact, but to know what it means, it is
necessary to understand the terms rest, motion, and unbalanced force.

Rest and motion can be thought of as being opposite to each other. Rest is the state of an
object when it is not changing position in relation to its surroundings. If you are sitting
still in a chair, you can be said to be at rest. This term, however, is relative. Your chair
may actually be one of many seats on a speeding airplane. The important thing to
remember here is that you are not moving in relation to your immediate surroundings. If
rest were defined as a total absence of motion, it would not exist in nature. Even if you
were sitting in your chair at home, you would still be moving, because your chair is
actually sitting on the surface of a spinning planet that is orbiting a star. The star is
moving through a rotating galaxy that is, itself, moving through the universe. While sitting
"still," you are, in fact, traveling at a speed of hundreds of kilometers per second.
Motion is also a relative term. All matter in the universe is
moving all the time, but in the first law, motion here
means changing position in relation to surroundings. A ball
is at rest if it is sitting on the ground. The ball is in motion
if it is rolling. A rolling ball changes its position in relation
to its surroundings. When you are sitting on a chair in an
airplane, you are at rest, but if you get up and walk down
the aisle, you are in motion. A rocket blasting off the
launch pad changes from a state of rest to a state of
motion.
The third term important to understanding this law is
unbalanced force. If you hold a ball in your hand and keep
it still, the ball is at rest. All the time the ball is held there
though, it is being acted upon by forces. The force of
gravity is trying to pull the ball downward, while at the
same time your hand is pushing against the ball to hold it
up. The forces acting on the ball are balanced. Let the ball
go, or move your hand upward, and the forces become unbalanced. The ball then changes
from a state of rest to a state of motion.
In rocket flight, forces become balanced and unbalanced all the time. A rocket on the
launch pad is balanced. The surface of the pad pushes the rocket up while gravity tries to
pull it down. As the engines are ignited, the thrust from the rocket unbalances the forces,
and the rocket travels upward. Later, when the rocket runs out of fuel, it slows down,
stops at the highest point of its flight, then falls back to Earth.
(Source: NASA - Visit www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/rocket for more details on rocketry.)

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Student Resource:
Rocket Principles (Continued)
Objects in space also react to forces. A spacecraft moving
through the solar system is in constant motion. The
spacecraft will travel in a straight line if the forces on it
are in balance. This happens only when the spacecraft is
very far from any large gravity source such as Earth or
the other planets and their moons. If the spacecraft
comes near a large body in space, the gravity of that
body will unbalance the forces and curve the path of the
spacecraft. This happens, in particular, when a satellite is
sent by a rocket on a path that is parallel to Earth's
surface. If the rocket shoots the spacecraft fast enough,
the spacecraft will orbit Earth. As long as another
unbalanced force, such as friction with gas molecules in orbit or the firing of a rocket
engine in the opposite direction from its movement, does not slow the spacecraft, it will
orbit Earth forever.
Now that the three major terms of this first law have been explained, it is possible to
restate this law. If an object, such as a rocket, is at rest, it takes an unbalanced force to
make it move. If the object is already moving, it takes an unbalanced force, to stop it,
change its direction from a straight line path, or alter its speed.
Newton's Third Law
For the time being, we will skip the second law and go directly to the third. This law states
that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. If you
have ever stepped off a small boat that has not been
properly tied to a pier, you will know exactly what this law
means.

A rocket can lift off from a launch pad only when it expels
gas out of its engine. The rocket pushes on the gas, and the
gas in turn pushes on the rocket. The whole process is very
similar to riding a skateboard. Imagine that a skateboard
and rider are in a state of rest (not moving). The rider
jumps off the skateboard. In the third law, the jumping is
called an action. The skateboard responds to that action by
traveling some distance in the opposite direction. The
skateboard's opposite motion is called a reaction. When the
distance traveled by the rider and the skateboard are
compared, it would appear that the skateboard has had a
much greater reaction than the action of the rider. This is
not the case. The reason the skateboard has traveled
farther is that it has less mass than the rider. This concept
will be better explained in a discussion of the second law.
(Source: NASA - Visit www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/rocket for more details on rocketry.)

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Student Resource:
Rocket Principles (Continued)
With rockets, the action is the expelling of gas out of the engine. The reaction is the
movement of the rocket in the opposite direction. To enable a rocket to lift off from the
launch pad, the action, or thrust, from the engine must be greater than the mass of the
rocket. In space, however, even tiny thrusts will cause the rocket to change direction.
One of the most commonly asked questions about rockets is how they can work in space
where there is no air for them to push against. The answer to this question comes from
the third law. Imagine the skateboard again. On the ground, the only part air plays in the
motions of the rider and the skateboard is to slow them down. Moving through the air
causes friction, or drag. The surrounding air impedes the action-reaction. As a result
rockets actually work better in space than they do in air. As the exhaust gas leaves the
rocket engine it must push away the surrounding air; this uses up some of the energy of
the rocket. In space, the exhaust gases can escape freely.
Newton's Second Law
This law of motion is essentially a statement of a mathematical equation. The three parts
of the equation are mass (m), acceleration (a), and force (f). Using letters to symbolize
each part, the equation can be written as follows:
f = ma
By using simple algebra, we can also write the equation two other ways:
a = f/m
m = f/a
The first version of the equation is the one most commonly referred to when talking about
Newton's second law. It reads: force equals mass times acceleration. To explain this law,
we will use an old style cannon as an example.

When the cannon is fired, an explosion

propels a cannon ball out the open end of
the barrel. It flies a kilometer or two to its
target. At the same time the cannon itself
is pushed backward a meter or two. This is
action and reaction at work (third law).
The force acting on the cannon and the
ball is the same. What happens to the cannon and the ball is determined by the second
law. Look at the two equations below.
f = m(cannon) * a(cannon)
f = m(ball) * a(ball)
The first equation refers to the cannon and the second to the cannon ball. In the first
equation, the mass is the cannon itself and the acceleration is the movement of the
cannon. In the second equation the mass is the cannon ball and the acceleration is its
movement.
(Source: NASA - Visit www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/rocket for more details on rocketry.)

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Student Resource:
Rocket Principles (Continued)
The first equation refers to the cannon and the second to the cannon ball. In the first
equation, the mass is the cannon itself and the acceleration is the movement of the
cannon. In the second equation the mass is the cannon ball and the acceleration is its
movement. Because the force (exploding gun powder) is the same for the two equations,
the equations can be combined and rewritten below:
m(cannon) * a(cannon) = m(ball) * a(ball)
In order to keep the two sides of the equations equal, the accelerations vary with mass.
In other words, the cannon has a large mass and a small acceleration. The cannon ball
has a small mass and a large acceleration.
Let's apply this principle to a rocket. Replace the mass of the cannon ball with the mass of
the gases being ejected out of the rocket engine. Replace the mass of the cannon with the
mass of the rocket moving in the other direction. Force is the pressure created by the
controlled explosion taking place inside the rocket's engines. That pressure accelerates
the gas one way and the rocket the other. Some interesting things happen with rockets
that don't happen with the cannon and ball in this example. With the cannon and cannon
ball, the thrust lasts for just a moment. The thrust for the rocket continues as long as its
engines are firing. Furthermore, the mass of the rocket changes during flight. Its mass is
the sum of all its parts. Rocket parts include engines, propellant tanks, payload, control
system, and propellants. By far, the largest part of the rocket's mass is its propellants.
But that amount constantly changes as the engines fire. That means that the rocket's
mass gets smaller during flight. In order for the left side of our equation to remain in
balance with the right side, acceleration of the rocket has to increase as its mass
decreases. That is why a rocket starts off moving slowly and goes faster and faster as it
climbs into space.
Newton's second law of motion is especially useful when designing efficient rockets. To
enable a rocket to climb into low Earth orbit, it is necessary to achieve a speed, in excess
of 28,000 km per hour. A speed of over 40,250 km per hour, called escape velocity,
enables a rocket to leave Earth and travel out into deep space. Attaining space flight
speeds requires the rocket engine to achieve the greatest action force possible in the
shortest time. In other words, the engine must burn a large mass of fuel and push the
resulting gas out of the engine as rapidly as possible. Newton's second law of motion can
be restated in the following way: the greater the mass of rocket fuel burned, and the
faster the gas produced can escape the engine, the greater the thrust of the rocket.
Putting Newton's Laws of Motion Together
An unbalanced force must be exerted for a rocket to lift off from a launch pad or for a
craft in space to change speed or direction (first law). The amount of thrust (force)
produced by a rocket engine will be determined by the mass of rocket fuel that is burned
and how fast the gas escapes the rocket (second law). The reaction, or motion, of the
rocket is equal to and in the opposite direction of the action, or thrust, from the engine
(third law).

(Source: NASA - Visit www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/rocket for more details on rocketry.)

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Student Worksheet:
How Rockets Fly
In flight, a rocket is subjected to four forces; weight, thrust, and the aerodynamic forces,
lift and drag. The magnitude of the weight depends on the mass of all of the parts of the
rocket. The weight force is always directed towards the center of the earth and acts
through the center of gravity, the yellow dot on the figure. The magnitude of the thrust
depends on the mass flow rate through the engine and the velocity and pressure at the
exit of the nozzle. The thrust force normally acts along the longitudinal axis of the rocket
and therefore acts through the center of gravity. Some full scale rockets can move, or
gimbal, their nozzles to produce a force which is not aligned with the center of gravity.
The resulting torque about the center of gravity can be used to maneuver the rocket. The
magnitude of the aerodynamic forces depends on the shape, size, and velocity of the
rocket and on properties of the atmosphere. The aerodynamic forces act through the
center of pressure, the black and yellow dot on the figure. Aerodynamic forces are very
important for model rockets, but may not be as important for full scale rockets, depending
on the mission of the rocket. Full scale boosters usually spend only a short amount of time
in the atmosphere.
In flight, the magnitude -- and sometimes the direction -of the four forces is constantly changing. The response of
the rocket depends on the relative magnitude and direction
of the forces, much like the motion of the rope in a "tug-ofwar" contest. If we add up the forces, being careful to
account for the direction, we obtain a net external force on
the rocket. The resulting motion of the rocket is described
by Newton's laws of motion.
Although the same four forces act on a rocket as on an
airplane, there are some important differences in the
application of the forces:

On an airplane, the lift force (the aerodynamic force

perpendicular to the flight direction) is used to overcome
the weight. On a rocket, thrust is used in opposition to
weight. On many rockets, lift is used to stabilize and control the direction of flight.
On an airplane, most of the aerodynamic forces are generated by the wings and the
tail surfaces. For a rocket, the aerodynamic forces are generated by the fins, nose
cone, and body tube. For both airplane and rocket, the aerodynamic forces act through
the center of pressure (the yellow dot with the black center on the figure) while the
weight acts through the center of gravity (the yellow dot on the figure).
While most airplanes have a high lift to drag ratio, the drag of a rocket is usually much
greater than the lift.
While the magnitude and direction of the forces remain fairly constant for an airplane,
the magnitude and direction of the forces acting on a rocket change dramatically
during a typical flight.

(Source: NASA - Visit www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/rocket for more details on rocketry.)

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Student Resource:
Commercial Spaceflight - News
SpaceShipTwo: The Worlds First Commercial Spaceship
In 2011, in the skies
above Mojave Air and
Spaceport CA,
SpaceShipTwo, the
worlds first commercial
spaceship, demonstrated
its unique reentry feather
configuration for the first
time. In 2012, Virgin
Galactic announced that
its vehicle developer,
Scaled Composites
(Scaled), has been
granted an experimental launch permit from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for its
suborbital spacecraft, SpaceshipTwo, and the carrier aircraft, WhiteKnightTwo
Already, SpaceShipTwo and WhiteKnightTwo have made significant progress in their flight test
program. With 80 test flights completed, WhiteKnightTwo is substantially through its test plan,
while the more recently constructed SpaceShipTwo has safely completed sixteen free flights,
including three that tested the vehicles unique feathering re-entry system. Additionally, ten test
firings of the full scale SpaceShipTwo rocket motor, including full duration burns, have been safely
and successfully completed.
With this permit now in hand, Scaled is now authorized to press onward towards rocket-powered
test flights. In preparation for those powered flights, SpaceShipTwo will soon return to flight,
testing the aerodynamic performance of the spacecraft with the full weight of the rocket motor
system on board. Integration of key rocket motor components, already begun during a nowconcluding period of downtime for routine maintenance, will continue into the autumn. Scaled
expects to begin rocket powered, supersonic flights under the just-issued experimental permit
toward the end of the year.
The Spaceship program is making steady progress, and we are all looking forward to lighting the
vehicles rocket engine in flight for the first time, said Doug Shane, president of Scaled.
Although a handful of experimental launch permits have been granted to other rockets,
SpaceShipTwo is the first rocket-powered vehicle that carries humans on board to receive such a
permit.
Virgin also announced in 2012 that they will construct a rack system to allow research payloads to
fly to space aboard Virgin Galactics SpaceShipTwo (SS2). With these new racks, SS2 will allow
researchers to conduct experiments during several minutes of microgravity using a mounting
system also employed on the International Space Station (ISS). Standard racks will support up to
108 cubic feet of usable payload volume. Additionally, experiments can be positioned within the
rack system for a view through Virgin Galactics large, 17-inch-diameter-windows should
acquisition of spectral data or imaging be desired
(Source: Virgin Galactic. More details and updates on this effort at www.virgingalactic.com)

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Student Worksheet:
Engineering Teamwork and Planning
You are part of a team of engineers given the challenge of building a model rocket using a
soda or water bottle that will be attached to a bicycle air pump which will be the source of
propulsion or energy. You can either make your
rocket from everyday materials or use a kit that
is provided to you. Either way, your goal is to
have your rocket shoot up the highest and the
straightest within your class. You'll research
ideas online (if you have internet access), learn
about rocket design and flight, and work as a
team to construct and test your rocket. You'll
consider the results of other teams, complete a
reflection sheet, and share your experiences
with the class.

Research Phase
Read the materials provided to you by your
teacher. If you have access to the internet, also
visit www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/rocket/ for additional research and to use the online
rocket simulator, RocketModeler III.
Planning and Design Phase
On a separate piece of paper draw a detailed diagram of how your rocket will look when
completed and estimate how high you believe your rocket with travel. You'll need to
design a base to hold your rocket before launch. Include a list of materials you will need
and consider the weight you are adding to your base bottle.

If you have been given the challenge of adding a payload to your rocket, you'll need to
design a way to have the bottle hold the item(s) you are launching into space. Payloads
cannot be held inside the bottle.
Build and Launch
As a team, build your rocket -- but always under the supervision of your teacher! You'll
then test the rocket. Be sure to observe how high and how straight the rockets built by
other teams go.
Estimate Results
As a team, estimate how high your rocket will fly in the box below:

Reflection/Presentation Phase
Complete the attached student reflection sheet and present your experiences with this
activity to the class.

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Student Worksheet:
Reflection
Complete the reflection questions below:

1. How did the height you estimated your rocket would reach compare with the actual
estimated height?

2. What do you think might have caused any differences in the height you achieved?

3. Did your rocket launch straight up? If not, why do you think it veered off course?

4. Do you think that this activity was more rewarding to do as a team, or would you have
preferred to work alone on it? Why?

5. Did you adjust your model rocket at all? How? Do you think this helped or hindered
your results?

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Water Rocket Launch

Student Worksheet:
Reflection (continued)
Complete the reflection questions below:

6. How do you think the rocket would have behaved differently if it were launched in a
weightless atmosphere?

7. What safety measures do you think engineers consider when launching a real rocket?
Consider the location of most launch sites as part of your answer.

8. When engineers are designing a rocket which will carry people in addition to cargo, how
do you think the rocket will change in terms of structural design, functionality, and
features?

9. Do you think rocket designs will change a great deal over the next ten years? How?

10. What tradeoffs do engineers have to make when considering the space/weight of fuel
vs. the weight of cargo?

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For Teachers:
Alignment to Curriculum Frameworks
Note: All lesson plans in this series are aligned to the National Science
Education Standards which were produced by the National Research Council and endorsed
by the National Science Teachers Association, and if applicable, also to the International
Technology Education Association's Standards for Technological Literacy or the National
Council of Teachers of Mathematics' Principles and Standards for School Mathematics.

National Science Education Standards Grades K-4 (ages 4-9)

CONTENT STANDARD A: Science as Inquiry
As a result of activities, all students should develop
Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
Understanding about scientific inquiry
CONTENT STANDARD B: Physical Science
As a result of the activities, all students should develop an understanding of
Properties of objects and materials
Position and motion of objects
CONTENT STANDARD E: Science and Technology
As a result of activities, all students should develop
Abilities of technological design
Understanding about science and technology
CONTENT STANDARD F: Science in Personal and Social Perspectives
As a result of activities, all students should develop understanding of
Science and technology in local challenges
CONTENT STANDARD G: History and Nature of Science
As a result of activities, all students should develop understanding of
Science as a human endeavor

National Science Education Standards Grades 5-8 (ages 10-14)

CONTENT STANDARD A: Science as Inquiry
As a result of activities, all students should develop
Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
CONTENT STANDARD B: Physical Science
As a result of their activities, all students should develop an understanding of
Properties and changes of properties in matter
Motions and forces
Transfer of energy
CONTENT STANDARD E: Science and Technology
As a result of activities in grades 5-8, all students should develop
Abilities of technological design
CONTENT STANDARD F: Science in Personal and Social Perspectives
As a result of activities, all students should develop understanding of
Risks and benefits
Science and technology in society
CONTENT STANDARD G: History and Nature of Science
As a result of activities, all students should develop understanding of
Science as a human endeavor
History of science
Water Rocket Launch
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Water Rocket Launch

For Teachers:

Note: All lesson plans in this series are aligned to the National Science
Education Standards which were produced by the National Research Council
and endorsed by the National Science Teachers Association, and if applicable, also to the
International Technology Education Association's Standards for Technological Literacy or
the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics' Principles and Standards for School
Mathematics.

National Science Education Standards Grades 9-12 (ages 14-18)

CONTENT STANDARD A: Science as Inquiry
As a result of activities, all students should develop
Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
CONTENT STANDARD B: Physical Science
As a result of their activities, all students should develop understanding of
Chemical reactions
Motions and forces
CONTENT STANDARD E: Science and Technology
As a result of activities, all students should develop
Abilities of technological design
Understandings about science and technology
CONTENT STANDARD F: Science in Personal and Social Perspectives
As a result of activities, all students should develop understanding of
Science and technology in local, national, and global challenges
CONTENT STANDARD G: History and Nature of Science
As a result of activities, all students should develop understanding of
Science as a human endeavor
Nature of scientific knowledge
Historical perspectives

Standards for Technological Literacy - All Ages

The Nature of Technology
Standard 1: Students will develop an understanding of the characteristics
and scope of technology.
Technology and Society
Standard 6: Students will develop an understanding of the role of society in
the development and use of technology.
Standard 7: Students will develop an understanding of the influence of
technology on history.
Design
Standard 8: Students will develop an understanding of the attributes of
design.
Standard 9: Students will develop an understanding of engineering design.
Standard 10: Students will develop an understanding of the role of
troubleshooting, research and development, invention and innovation, and
experimentation in problem solving.
Abilities for a Technological World
Standard 11: Students will develop abilities to apply the design process.

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