Soda Bottle Rocket Launcher

Tools and Materials 8 ½”x11” 20lb copier paper 8 ½”x11” 64lb card stock 8 ½”x11” cardboard Foamie sheets Rubber bands Paperclips Coffee stirrer sticks Straws Scotch tape Masking tape Scissors Glue gun Colored pencils 12” ruler

You can get these parts from Home Depot for less than $5. Launcher You can get these parts from Home Depot for less than $5. - 3-foot long ½” PVC pipe. - ½” Right Angle PVC pipe coupling - Block of wood 10”x 4”x 1” - Two 1” sheet rock screws. - One ½” pipe hanger - 2-liter soda bottle. The wood block helps keep the launcher stable. (Even thought it ‘s called ½” PVC pipe, it is actually 5/8” on the inside and 7/8” on the outside diameters.) 3

Cut two 1-foot long pipe sections. Launcher Cut two 1-foot long pipe sections. If you get the PVC pipe from Home Depot, you can usually cut the pipe sections there with a hack saw or pipe cutter. If not you will need a hack saw. Connect the PVC pipes and the soda bottle. 4

Launcher Blast off!!! 5

Tape the second rolled paper and slip it off the pipe. Fuselage You can use thin card stock or 22lb weight paper (typical printer paper.) Roll an 8.5” x 11” paper around a ½” PVC pipe. Tape this paper to the pipe. Use small 1” sections of tape. It is easier to control small tape pieces. Then wrap a second paper around the paper that is taped. This will make your rocket fuselage have minimum friction with the pipe when it takes off. Tape the second rolled paper and slip it off the pipe. 11” ½” PVC pipe 6

Flatten and cut a point on one end. Fuselage Flatten and cut a point on one end. Tape that end so it makes an air tight tube when you blow in the open end. 7

Wrap a 4” x 4” or 10cm x 10cm piece of Foamie or paper into a cone. Nose Cone . 10 cm 4” Wrap a 4” x 4” or 10cm x 10cm piece of Foamie or paper into a cone. Hot glue or tape the cone shape. Cut the open end of the cone so it is round. 8

Hot glue the nose cone to the fuselage. Nose Cone + Fuselage Hot glue the nose cone to the fuselage. 9

Start with a 8.5” x 11” card stock or 22lb paper. Tail Fins Simple 11” Start with a 8.5” x 11” card stock or 22lb paper. 8.5” 2.75” 4.25” Mark a straight line from corner to corner. Put the two pieces exactly on top of each other. Fold in half, Hamburger style. Cut at the fold. Bend in half and cut at the fold. Fold the two strips in the middle and cut at the fold. 10

Tail Fins Simple You need to make flanges on each fin so you can tape or hot glue them to your rocket fuselage. (1) (2) 2” 4” 4” Score and fold a flange about ¼” along the long edge of the triangle. Then cut a small slit from the edge to the fold. 4” (6) (3) 2” Cut along the diagonal line and you will have 4 symmetrical fins. 4” (4) (7) Bend the top flange to the left and the bottom flange to the right. You need to do this for all 4 fins. (5) 11

Fold the two halves in the middle. Tail Fins Rugged 11” Build these fins instead of the simple fins if you want your rocket ship to last a long time. 8.5” Fold in half. Hamburger style Cut the two halves Fold the two halves in the middle. 12

The goal is to make 4 fins that are exactly symmetrical! Tail Fins Rugged The goal is to make 4 fins that are exactly symmetrical! 4.25” 2.75” Cut the two folded halves in the middle. Fold the two halves in the middle. Cut the four rectangles into four equal triangles. 13

The goal is to make 4 fins that are exactly symmetrical! Tail Fins Rugged The goal is to make 4 fins that are exactly symmetrical! Cut the four fins along the dotted line. Now you need to fold flanges so you can glue or tape the fins to the fuselage. 14

Nose Cone + Fuselage + Fins Hot glue the fins to the fuselage. Top View If you want your rocket to fly straight you will need to mount your fins at right angles. You can make a cross hair template to ensure good alignment. Try mounting your fins so they will make your rocket spin. Your rocket may not go quite as high but it may travel in a straighter line if it is spinning like a bullet. 15

Nose Cone + Fuselage + Fins 16

Hall of Fame Rockets 17

Nose Cone + Fuselage + Wings + Tail You could add wings and a tail instead of fins and launch a glider. Before you launch it, make sure it glides well. You can position the wings forward or backward to control the center of gravity. You could also cut elevators to control loops. You can stiffen the wings by folding the leading edge or taping a coffee stirrer stick to the leading edge. 18

Decorate Your Plane 19

Air Show Competitions: Best looking (scale of 1-10). Furthest distance. Most accurate. Highest flight. Most interesting flight (scale of 1-10). 20