| One does not need to be a rocket scientist to | | | | through the air and to keep it from getting |
| know how to build a rocket. Of course, we're not | | | | weighed down. The fins are usually made out of |
| referring to an actual spaceship or missile that | | | | balsa wood. A template of the fins should be |
| anyone can build in the luxury of one's own home. | | | | made and placed on the wood to trace it shape, |
| The next best thing, and just as cool, is putting | | | | after which the shape is cut out of the wood with |
| together a nifty miniature rocket that can actually | | | | a craft knife. The fins are then to be sanded to |
| blast off into the sky right before one's very | | | | make them smooth. To attach the fins to the |
| eyes. | | | | body, again one should use either wood glue on |
| While there are rocket model kits available in the | | | | cardboard or plastic cement on plastic. |
| market, one may also choose to assemble a | | | | The engine mount goes at the rocket's bottom, |
| model rocket of their very own design. It should | | | | just below its fins. To attach it, glue must be |
| be noted, however, that rockets are essentially | | | | applied via cotton swab to the engine mount's |
| cylindrical in shape, so one should not go too wild | | | | exterior to firmly fasten it to the rocket's body. |
| with a UFO or Star Wars-like look for their design. | | | | An ignition system will be needed in order to fire |
| An important rule in how to build a rocket; a very | | | | up the rocket for launching. It can be acquired |
| simple, aerodynamic design will do the trick. The | | | | from the same retailer where the engine is |
| basic components of the rocket are the cylinder | | | | bought from. |
| body, the nose cone, three fins, and of course, its | | | | After assembling the rocket, one can now make |
| engine. | | | | it look good by painting it. Even here, |
| The nose cone must come with a parachute | | | | aerodynamics still plays a significant part, and |
| attached behind it, so that the rocket can drop | | | | applying more than a few light coats of paint will |
| safely back to earth after its flight. In attaching | | | | help the rocket travel smoothly in the air. The |
| the nose cone to the body of the rocket, the | | | | color of the rocket is entirely up to its builder. |
| type of glue to use depends on the material the | | | | Once one has learned how to build a rocket, the |
| cone and the body is made of. Wood glue may | | | | completion of the project can only be followed by |
| be used if the rocket is made of cardboard, but it | | | | the eagerly awaited act of firing it up for launch. It |
| won't work on plastic, in which case plastic | | | | may not be the Apollo, but still, if it flies straight |
| cement should be used. | | | | up into the sky, it's a rocket. There's a genuine |
| As mentioned, aerodynamics is an important | | | | thrill in creating something that can actually shoot |
| factor to consider when learning how to build a | | | | up into the heavens. And even if it doesn't quite |
| rocket. To this end, the rocket's fins must be | | | | reach the stars, it can hold our imagination high |
| sleek and smooth to allow easy movement | | | | enough, perhaps until the day when we finally can. |