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Ohio 4-H Youth Development

Ohio State University Extension

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Rocketry

WELCOME TO OHIO 4-H ROCKETS Away!

**We regret to say the popular Rocket Design Simulation is not longer available. It was created with Adobe Flash, an older programming language that no longer has widespread support.**

Are you a classroom teacher or other educator looking for materials related to Rockets Away! Exploring the Science of Forces and Motion? Click HERE for crosswalks to science standards and other resources.

The Rockets Away! educational program teaches the science of rocketry through the use of hands-on experiments, computer software, and the building and launching of 2-liter bottle rockets and solid-fuel model rockets.

 

Cover of Rockets Away! for 2-liter bottle rockets showing a hand-drawn rocket in purple space with hand-drawn planets and stars

501 Rockets Away! (2-liter Bottles)

Study the science of rocketry through a variety of hands-on experiments for all ages. Members conclude this project by building and launching 2-liter bottle water rockets. A rocket launcher of access to a rocket launcher is required.

Order 501 Rockets Away!

 

 

503 Rockets Away! (Solid-Fuel Model Rockets)

Study the science of rocketry through a variety of hands-on experiments for all ages. Members conclude this project by building and launching a solid-fuel model rocket. The rocket must be built from a kit only; no scratch building. A basic solid-fuel rocket kit and engine cost less than $50. Large rockets are more expensive and are not required for competitive success.

Order 503 Rockets Away!

 

Designing Your Own Model Rocket

by Mark Ponder

Available for free download, this supplement to the 503M Rocketry Master project discusses basic aspects of model rocket design, including safety, clustering, staging, stability, and more. Sample rocket projects and resources are also included.

Equipment

2-Liter Bottle Launcher

Launchers that Extension educators have found helpful include these:

  • AquaPod Bottle Launcher. Go to amazon.com and search for "Aquapod bottle launcher."
  • Aquaport II Water Rocket Launcher, pitsco.com
  • EZ-Launch Pop Bottle Launcher, ez-launch.com

(Endorsement of these products by The Ohio State University is neither intended nor implied.)

Bike Pump

The Deluxe Port Pump II from Pitsco Education includes heavy-duty construction and an easy-to-see pressure gauge. Product details and ordering are available at pitsco.com. Call 800-835-0686 for more information.

(Endorsement of this product by The Ohio State University is neither intended nor implied.)

Other Cool Websites

If you would like to expand your knowledge of space-related information we have located the following links, we believe you may find interesting...

Astronomy Picture of the Day
Model Rocketry Newsletter
Astronomy at the Franklin Institute