slipperyfrog
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- Feb 6, 2010
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I have been getting into some of the cardstock rockets as they are a blast to build & launch. My daughter in 6th grade has a science fair project to complete and wanted to do something with rockets. I figured what better way to build & fly the Midnight Express from Fliskits. Time to teach how a rocket flies.
We devised to do a few things:
1. Build a flyable rocket from a sheet of paper. (super cool to a 12 year old)
2. Test the completed rockets with a swing test and see the difference.
3. Get a little crazy and see what the effect of proper CG is on said rocket in flight with real motors.
We built two rockets and used A8-3 motors. A properly weighted one and a "Crash N' Burn" rocket with no weight :y:. In a big open spot in the desert we had some fun. The rocket with the proper CG flew perfect twice. The guinea pig rocket....well not so good. It stayed together to fly twice as well. It did rip off a fin the second flight as it went bat crazy into the ground.
It made for a perfect experiment and teaching tool for my daughter. She can now compile her notes, pictures, and set up her display. She will use the good and bad rockets to show a swing test & results at the fair.
Here are some pictures. The rocket scientist with rocket #1. The good flight going into a bit of a breeze (it flew up a lot straighter than it looks). The "Crash N Burn" rocket after losing a fin on a hard crash.
We devised to do a few things:
1. Build a flyable rocket from a sheet of paper. (super cool to a 12 year old)
2. Test the completed rockets with a swing test and see the difference.
3. Get a little crazy and see what the effect of proper CG is on said rocket in flight with real motors.
We built two rockets and used A8-3 motors. A properly weighted one and a "Crash N' Burn" rocket with no weight :y:. In a big open spot in the desert we had some fun. The rocket with the proper CG flew perfect twice. The guinea pig rocket....well not so good. It stayed together to fly twice as well. It did rip off a fin the second flight as it went bat crazy into the ground.
It made for a perfect experiment and teaching tool for my daughter. She can now compile her notes, pictures, and set up her display. She will use the good and bad rockets to show a swing test & results at the fair.
Here are some pictures. The rocket scientist with rocket #1. The good flight going into a bit of a breeze (it flew up a lot straighter than it looks). The "Crash N Burn" rocket after losing a fin on a hard crash.
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