| Making model rockets is an inexpensive and fun | | | | have completed all of this you are ready to paint |
| hobby that has two very different components. | | | | and apply stickers to your rocket. This whole |
| You get to make rockets, which is a great hands | | | | process, depending on your hobby skills, will take |
| on craft, and you also get to launch them which | | | | between one and two hours. Some of the newer |
| makes for a great outdoor event for family and | | | | rocket kits do away with a lot of the balsa wood |
| friends. Here is an overview of what it is all about | | | | and replace it with plastic engine mounts and fins. |
| and how to do it. | | | | This makes the assembly process much easier |
| You don't need a whole lot of materials to start | | | | and all you need to complete it is some plastic |
| out in this hobby. There are many all-complete | | | | cement. This type of rocket will take you less |
| kits available that give you everything you need. | | | | than an hour to assemble. |
| This includes the parts to make a rocket, the | | | | Once your rocket is completed you will be ready |
| launching pad, and the engines that power the | | | | to launch it and to do this you should find a large |
| rocket. You just have to spend the time to | | | | open field that is free of any brown or dry grass |
| assemble the components and supply some basic | | | | (for fire safety). You install the igniter into your |
| tools and materials like glue and a small saw or | | | | engine then put the engine into the rocket and |
| hobby knife. | | | | place it on the launching pad. As a final step you |
| How does a model rocket work? | | | | hook up your launch controller and after standing |
| The typical path for this type of hobby is you | | | | back and doing a countdown you press a button |
| first make a rocket out of a cardboard tube and | | | | to launch your rocket. |
| add fins (either balsa wood or plastic) then attach | | | | Making and launching model rockets is not hard |
| a parachute and nosecone. Into this rocket tube | | | | and it is not expensive to start out. There are |
| you install a thing called an engine. It is what | | | | plenty of complete kits that have everything you |
| creates the propulsion for launch and it is a | | | | need that typically cost less than thirty dollars. |
| cylindrical object about the size and shape of a roll | | | | There are half a dozen companies that make |
| of pennies and it contains an ignitable dry | | | | excellent rockets and outstanding complete kits. |
| propellant. You insert this engine into the bottom | | | | The two companies I recommend for you as a |
| of the rocket and when it is fired it propels the | | | | beginner in the hobby would be Estes and Quest. |
| rocket into sky. After a certain period of time | | | | They both have kits aimed directly at beginners. |
| (usually 4-6 seconds) the propulsion stops and a | | | | There are several variations of kits and when |
| secondary charge goes off the other end of the | | | | selecting a kit you should make sure it has a |
| engine. This causes the nose cone to blow off the | | | | launch pad, a rocket, engines, and protective |
| rocket and the parachute to deploy -which safely | | | | wadding (sheets of fireproof tissue). If your kit |
| carries your rocket back to the ground so you | | | | doesn't have all these things make sure you order |
| can use it again. The engine however, is spent and | | | | some to go with it. |
| to launch the rocket again you would install | | | | Some kit suggestions |
| another engine. These engines cost from 2 to 3 | | | | Estes makes a great beginner kit called the |
| dollars each. | | | | Tandem-X launch set. It comes with two rockets |
| How do you fire off the rocket? | | | | and the launch pad but doesn't come with engines |
| You fire off the rocket engine by installing a small | | | | or wadding so you have to order them |
| metal igniter in it then connecting it to a battery | | | | separately. Quest has several kits that have |
| source, which is inside something called a launch | | | | everything including the engines and wadding and |
| controller. This igniter is very similar to the | | | | two of these kits are the Astra III Quick Kit |
| filament inside a light bulb in that when you apply | | | | StarterHAZ and the Vertigo RTF HAZ. When you |
| an electrical charge to it it will heat up and glow | | | | order kits with engines or engines separately you |
| causing a small fire. This small fire ignites the | | | | have to allow a longer delivery time. Engines, |
| engine and launches your rocket. When you | | | | because they have a fire creating material in |
| purchase engines the igniters come with them and | | | | them, cannot be shipped by air. They can only be |
| the launch controller comes with the launch pad. | | | | shipped by ground. |
| I recommend, if you are just starting out in the | | | | Safety |
| hobby, you purchase an all-inclusive kit that has | | | | Model Rocketry is a very safe hobby and there is |
| everything you need. You first assemble the | | | | no risk of injury as long as you follow the |
| launching pad, which has only a few parts and is | | | | standard rules of safety as laid out by the |
| easy to assemble. The parts all snap together and | | | | National Association of Rocketry. They have a |
| this launching pad is what you will launch the | | | | nice safety code that you should read and |
| rocket off. It comes with a guide bar that your | | | | understand before you embark on your new |
| rocket will travel up and a metal plate that the | | | | hobby. |
| rocket sits on. This plate keeps the rocket safe | | | | Taking your hobby to new creative heights |
| by deflecting the exhaust from the engine. | | | | One of the best things about model rocketry is |
| Next you will assemble your rocket and, | | | | the fact that you can take it to new heights of |
| depending on the kit, there will be variations in this | | | | creativity in many different ways. You can design |
| procedure. Traditional rockets will have a | | | | your own rockets, make bigger rockets that |
| cardboard tube body and balsa wood fins. You cut | | | | climb to even higher heights. You can even design |
| these fins out and glue them to the body tube. | | | | and build multi-stage rockets or gliders. There are |
| You then assemble the cardboard tube engine | | | | also many additional kits and options like an |
| mount. This is a specially designed tube for holding | | | | onboard altimeter that will display how high your |
| the engine and it is the most challenging part of | | | | rocket went and onboard cameras and video |
| the process. A few more steps include building the | | | | cameras that will take snapshots of the ground or |
| parachute and nosecone assembly. When you | | | | even take a video from right on the rocket. |