To make a rocket, choose a design based on cost, purchase a kit or assemble from scratch. Materials needed include cardstock, tape, adhesive, wooden dowels, sandpaper, and maple wood. Assemble the body tube, fins, and spinner, then attach the motor and igniter. Customize with paint or stickers. With thousands of different rocket designs available, there […]
Model rockets are small vehicles made of lightweight materials that hobbyists can build and launch at lower altitudes. They use disposable motors and parachutes to recover the craft. A launch pad and special packaging are required, and an electric match ignites the rocket engine. Recovery can be problematic due to parachute snags. A model rocket […]
Hydrogen rockets use hydrogen and oxygen as propellant, releasing energy when ignited. The reaction is efficient and used in space launches, but hydrogen must be kept in liquid form. Model rockets on Earth use the same concept, but don’t need to carry oxygen. Simple experiments can illustrate the power of the reaction. A hydrogen rocket […]
Rocket cars were used for dragster racing and land speed record attempts, but have been surpassed by jet engine-powered vehicles. Rockets have a high acceleration rate but a shorter operating capacity. The first rocket car was developed by Max Valier. As jet engine technology became more efficient and safer, the appeal of rockets waned. A […]
A rocket mass heater burns wood efficiently, emitting steam and carbon dioxide instead of smoke. It can be built as a DIY project using bricks, drums, and pipes, and can provide heat for days at a fraction of the cost of conventional stoves. It can also be used in cities without detection by regulatory agencies […]
Rocket science, or aerospace engineering, requires knowledge in physics, aerodynamics, mathematics, propulsion dynamics, and other sciences. It includes design and specialization in fields such as propulsion chemistry. Most aerospace engineers have a master’s or doctorate degree. Rocket science is the science behind getting rockets into space. More formally, it is aerospace engineering. The field requires […]
Hydrogen peroxide, in a 90% concentration, is used as rocket fuel by the Russian space program. It is stable, legal to buy, and stored in vented aluminum alloy containers. The propellant is pressurized with nitrogen and reacts with a silver catalyst to create steam, which propels the rocket. It is considered safe and used in […]
A retro rocket is a type of rocket motor used to slow down or stop a vehicle in space. It is placed opposite to the main propulsion and fires in the opposite direction of movement. Retro rockets are used in space and aerospace vehicles to slow down and enter orbit. Without a retro rockets system, […]
Rocket engines create thrust by discharging high-velocity gas in the opposite direction of travel. They use propellant mass to produce a propulsive jet, unlike other jet engines. Chemical rockets are the most commonly used type, with solid, liquid, and hybrid fuels. Thermal rockets use external heat sources, including hot water, electric fields, solar energy, and […]
The Saturn V rocket was developed by Wernher Von Braun and powered numerous Apollo lunar missions. It was among the largest and most powerful rockets ever used for space missions, consisting of three separate stages. It was an expendable launch system and was used for missions between 1967 and 1973. The Saturn V rocket was […]
Rockets are used for space exploration, weapons, and hobbies. They use propellants like liquid oxygen and hydrogen. Space rockets have short-lived thrust, while weapons require endurance. Rockets were first used for fireworks in China and India. Konstantin Tsiolkovsky suggested rockets for space travel in 1903. Germany led rocket science research in the mid-1920s. The word […]
