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Acknowledgements
A big thank you goes to all the people on
the water rocket forum:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/water-rockets/message/10908 for contributing ideas and
suggestions for these
challenges.
General Rules
There are some general rules that apply to
these challenges:
1. Primary propulsion for these challenges
should come from cold compressed gas and water.
2. If you meet the challenge or a higher
level you can claim the lower level patches as well.
3. You can complete several challenges
simultaneously. If a flight achieves or exceeds a another
challenge's goals then you can claim that challenge as well.
The 10 Challenges
|
Challenge |
Description |
Patches |
|
1. Strength
 |
Goal: Launch a rocket
50 times without any
repairs. Rocket must fly to a minimum
altitude of 100
feet on each launch that will be
counted.
Purpose: Teaches you to consider
what components can fail, and how they
can be strengthened.
Notes: The rocket does not have to fly 50
times consecutively or even on the same
day. Flights that don't reach 100 feet
should not be counted. You can recharge
batteries if needed.
|
Challenge:
Large,
Medium,
Small
Level 2:
Large,
Medium,
Small
Level 1:
Large,
Medium,
Small |
|
2. Speed  |
Goal: Launch the same rocket
15 times in
30 minutes. The
rocket should reach at least
50 feet in altitude on each flight.
Purpose: Teaches you to
how to improve launch procedure efficiencies, and quick
fill/pressurise launcher design. |
Challenge:
Large,
Medium,
Small
Level 2:
Large,
Medium,
Small
Level 1:
Large,
Medium,
Small |
|
3. Precision
 |
Goal: Fly a rocket that will
not spin more than 45
degrees from launch to apogee. The rocket should
reach at least
50 feet in altitude.
-
Level 2 -
90 degrees
-
Level 1 -
180 degrees
Purpose: Teaches you to build
your rocket accurately, paying particular attention
to aerodynamics and fin alignment. Building
non-rotating rockets is useful for aerial
photography.
Hint: You can use an on board
camera to look down and see how far the rocket has
rotated in respect to some reference point. |
Challenge:
Large,
Medium,
Small
Level 2:
Large,
Medium,
Small
Level 1:
Large,
Medium,
Small |
|
4. Power
 |
Goal: Lift a
50Kg mass
30 feet.
Purpose: Teaches you how to build
powerful boosters.
Notes: The rocket and launcher can
be any design, and clusters are allowed. The dry
weight of the rocket can be taken into account. |
Challenge:
Large,
Medium,
Small
Level 2:
Large,
Medium,
Small
Level 1:
Large,
Medium,
Small |
|
5. Multi-stage
 |
Goal: Successfully launch and
recover a
5 stage rocket.
-
Level 2 -
4 stage rocket
-
Level 1 -
3 stage rocket
Purpose: Teaches you how to prepare
and setup a complicated launch. You need to consider
how you fill and assemble the rocket on the pad. It
also teaches you how to make solid inter-stage
connections. |
Challenge:
Large,
Medium,
Small
Level 2:
Large,
Medium,
Small
Level 1:
Large,
Medium,
Small |
|
6. Payload
 |
Goal: Fly a
dozen (12) eggs simultaneously more than
100 feet and land
them safely without breaking.
Purpose: Teaches you how to carry
fragile payloads on board rockets. |
Challenge:
Large,
Medium,
Small
Level 2:
Large,
Medium,
Small
Level 1:
Large,
Medium,
Small |
|
7. Accuracy
 |
Goal: Land a rocket 3 times
consecutively within 20
feet of the launch pad. Rocket must fly at least
100
feet high.
Purpose: Teaches you how to set-up
the rocket, launcher and launch parameters to get
the rocket to land in a particular spot. |
Challenge:
Large,
Medium,
Small
Level 2:
Large,
Medium,
Small
Level 1:
Large,
Medium,
Small |
|
8. Volume
 |
Goal: Launch a rocket whose total
pressurised volume exceeds
100L. Rocket must fly higher than
50 feet.
Purpose: Teaches you to assemble
large volume pressure vessels.
Notes: The rocket can be clustered,
staged or single pressure chamber. |
Challenge:
Large,
Medium,
Small
Level 2:
Large,
Medium,
Small
Level 1:
Large,
Medium,
Small |
|
9. Recovery
 |
Goal: Build and successfully fly
5 different
recovery systems.
Purpose: Teaches you to pros and
cons of various recovery methods.
Notes: The recovery systems should
be quite different from each other. Using a
different coloured parachute doesn't count.
Suggestions for recovery systems include: Parachute, Helicopter, Streamer, Backglider
etc. |
Challenge:
Large,
Medium,
Small
Level 2:
Large,
Medium,
Small
Level 1:
Large,
Medium,
Small |
|
10. Materials
 |
Goal: Launch a rocket over
200 feet using only
PET plastic. No
glue, tape or other materials are allowed.
Purpose: Teaches you how to use
materials in different ways.
Notes: The PET plastic may be heat
treated or heat welded. |
Challenge:
Large,
Medium,
Small
Level 2:
Large,
Medium,
Small
Level 1:
Large,
Medium,
Small |
Patches
When you have achieved a challenge or a
challenge level, you can download the corresponding patch
from the right hand column above and use it as you see fit.
There are 3 sizes available for each patch. The images are .PNGs
with a transparent background. Note: Some browsers may
display the transparent part of the image in different ways.
You can change the background in an image editor if you like
to fit with the webpage you are putting it on.
Notes
-
When attempting these challenges always
follow good safety practices.
-
Most of the challenges don't specify the
type of materials to use, nor do they specify what
pressures, nozzle sizes or launcher types. This allows
you to approach each challenge with the materials you
have available.
-
Each challenge also teaches you
something different about water rocket construction that
is directly applicable to more advanced rockets.
-
How you present your challenge attempt
to demonstrate that you have satisfied the requirements
is up to you.
-
You may attempt the challenges as
individuals or as teams.
-
You can attempt the challenges in any
order you like.
-
You get extra credit if you exceed the
challenge by a significant margin.
-
The challenges are retrospective.
Meaning that if you have already flown a rocket in
the past that
satisfies any of the challenge criteria then you can claim the
challenge patch.
If you are a teacher or scout leader you may
want to try some of these challenges with your group of
kids, but simplify the challenge to make it achievable
within available time and resources.
FAQs
Q1: I don't have an altimeter. How do I know
my rocket went 100 feet high?
A1:
Simulate your rocket flight and if the
simulation predicts flights over 100 feet and flying the
rocket looks like it reached at least 100 feet, then that's
close enough. If it's 90 feet or 110 feet it is not
critical. You can also use
alternate methods to measure altitudes.
Let us know how you go and we will add a
link above with your attempts. You can also discuss your
attempts here:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/water-rockets/message/10908
So which challenge will you start today?
15/5/2011 |
