Project Description

Project 2-University Physics

The Mission

You are to launch a meteorological information package to a specified minimum height using a standard sounding rocket.  The rocket will be required to land within a certain target area after the flight and must deliver the instrument package safely to the target.  The sounding rocket motor is a surplus military unit whose design cannot be greatly varied.  All other design issues are left to the engineering team.

The Assignment


Your assignment is to build, test and fire at 2 liter bottle rocket that meets the following criteria.  It will be filled with one liter of water and pressurized to a pressure between 80 and 120 pounds per square inch.  The rocket must travel to a target 300 feet away and must rise to a height of 100 meters.  The rocket must carry an egg to the target undamaged.  The rocket may be launched at any angle from vertical to about 40 degrees from horizontal.  Each group will have three chances to launch using the College's launcher and may enter up to three different rockets (if there are three rockets, each one will be launched once).  Home built launchers will not be allowed except in the distance competition.

The Assessment

The project is worth 50 points if all criteria are met.  This includes landing within 30 feet of the target.  The rocket may be designed in any way desired as long as it meet the given criteria using any set of materials.  Extra Credit will be awarded to the rocket that lands closest to the target while meeting all other criteria.

Deducations will be assessed as follows:

Broken Egg: -5 pts
Unable to pressurize to 80 psi: -5 pts
Every ten feet away from the target starting at thirty feet: -5 pts
Rocket doesn't reach 100 ft in height: -5 pts

Each member of a group will evaluate each other member of the group as to how much of the work was done by each person.  The instructor may choose to factor these ratings in when assigning each person's final project grade.

All disputes will be settled by the instructor...his rulings are final.

Final Notes


There will be some activities on the course's project web page you will need to complete for this project.  Be sure to check these and do them before their due dates.  Each activity will be worth five homework points if completed on time and none if not.  The project time will be about three weeks in duration with most of the work being done outside of class.  The final judging will take place at the college's baseball field.  Other departments and individuals will be allowed to enter rockets if they so desire.  Also, there will be a competition to see whose rocket will fly the farthest...at any pressure...the present record is 340 feet at just over 110 psi by parties not to be disclosed.