Model Rockets
Model rocketry is a fun (and very safe) hobby that people of all ages can enjoy. The basic idea is to put together some lightweight parts (often cardboard tubing & balsa wood fins) to make something which will, when powered, be able to 'lift off' just like a very small version of the rockets which took folks to the moon.
OK, so you are probably wondering just how you 'power' such a model & how high it might fly. Most rockets are powered by pre-manufactured 'motors'. These usually contain a small quantity of gunpowder based propellant. The motors are ignited electrically. This allows the person launching the rocket to stand back at a safe distance. Motors come in various standard sizes and can be purchased from model shops. Hobby rockets generally fly up to a height of a few hundred feet, although the height which will be reached depends very much on the take-off weight of your model & the capacity of the motor.
How to get started
To get started with a model, it is probably easiest to buy a complete kit from a hobby supplier. A starter kit will generally contain the parts needed to build a small rocket, a launchpad, some motors (complete with igniters) and a handheld launch controller unit.
The launchpad consists of a solid metal base to which you attach a thin metal rod. The model has a couple of lugs fixed to its side. These allow it to slide up & down the metal rod thus giving the all important initial guidance during the takeoff. The launch controller houses a few batteries and the button which is pressed to ignite the rocket motor.
What goes up ....
Rockets don't just go up, they also come down! In order to ensure a safe descent, most rocket motors incorporate a small 'ejection charge' which is designed to fire in such a way as to deploy a parachute which is wrapped inside the body of the rocket. Most often, the nosecone of the model will pop-off when the ejection charge fires and the attached parachute will be forced/pulled out. If all goes well, the rocket can be reused many times, just insert a new motor for each flight.
To fly your new rocket you will need to find a wide open space, far away from airports and associated traffic. Choose a calm day for your first launch. Ensure that you read the safety instructions which are supplied with your rocket. Be advised that model rockets have an uncanny ability to become stuck up tall trees.
Once you have a few launches under your belt, there is often an urge to design and fly your own model. This requires some basic research to find out maximum take-off weights, centre of gravity calculations and important safety considerations. There are quite a few PC based design programs that can assist a novice model rocket developer.
High Power Rockerty
Of course, big boys (and girls) like big toys. A few people start small but then move on to high powered rocketry. This is an altogether more involved and expensive affair. The rockets can weigh many pounds at take-off, can contain altimeters and other electronic gadgets and require vast areas of free space for a launch.
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Derek Kennedy
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