Rocketry made fun!

Warning!
Rockets are NOT toys!

Model rockets are dangerous, but they are also can be educational and fun.
With this tutorial you can educate yourself about model rocketry. But before you launch your first rocket, you should know:

1. Safety procedures
2. Parts of a rocket
3. Launch procedures
4. Rocket recovery

As a rocketeer, you are responsible for any damage occurred by your rocket to any public, private and personal property, intentionally (which is a criminal offense) or unintentionally.

Note to all young Rocketeers - IF you are under the age of ten,
ALL launches must carried out WITH Adult Supervision.

The main parts of a Rocket

       Lets get familiar with your rocket. Although there are a many number of rockets you can choose from, all rockets have one thing in common; they have the same number of parts despite their shape and size.

This is a downloadable diagram for the rocket description below. Please print it and test your knowledge after you have read this page.

1. Nose cone: Found on top of the model and has two functions:
   1.) Makes the rocket aerodynamic and
   2.) Anchors the parachute.
2. Body: The body holds inside itself the rocket engine, the fire retardant wadding and the parachute.
3. Rod Guide: Located between the middle of the body and the end of the body. Its purpose is to guide the rocket via the launch rod (found on the launch pad) to maintain a directional path.
4. Rocket Fins: The main purpose of the fins is to directional control on your rocket. Without these fins the rocket will fly out of control.
5. Engine: This is your main thrust for your rocket. They come in various sizes and are still dangerous. (Please review the Engine page for more information about how to handle them.)
6. Engine Stop: This is an often an ignored part. It is a very crucial part of your rocket. The engine stop is a hard cardboard ring which is used to stop the engine from blasting through the (rocket) body. The placement of the engine stop inside of the body should be the length of the engine that is used minus a quarter of an inch, so the engine should stick out a quarter of an inch below the edge of the bottom of the body.
7. Wadding: This is another item that is forgotten. The wadding is made from a fire retardant material that protects the recovery system from melting. (See the launch page for further explanation.)
8. Recovery System: Rockets have two way of recovery:
   1.) The Parachute and
   2.) The Streamer.
   The Parachute is use primarily used with rockets that has weight. The Streamer system is used for lighter rockets. Also, with Streamers, the recovery is more direct; the rocket will land closer to the launch pad than you would with a Parachute. Air would gather under the parachute and the wind will guide the rocket at a slower speed to the ground. Since we cannot control the wind, the recovery of a parachute laded rocket is totally uncontrollable. But nonetheless, recovery of a rocket can be fun too!