Basic Instructions

 Materials:

o One two-liter plastic bottle (empty and clean)

o One cork that fits snugly into the bottle’s opening
o One Schrader valve (common on most bicycle pumps)
o Duct tape
o Scissors or a box cutter
o Cardboard
o Card stock or construction paper
o Water
o A bike pump
 Steps:

1. Drill a hole in the center of the cork that is slightly smaller than the Schrader valve. Push
the valve through the hole so that the tip is exposed on one side of the cork. This will be
the launch mechanism for your rocket1
2. Cut out four cardboard triangles that are about 4 inches (10 cm) wide at the base and 7
inches (18 cm) long. These will be the fins of your rocket, which will stabilize it in flight2
REDO THESE MEASUREMENTS ACC TO OTHER PARAMETERS
3. Tape the fins to the nozzle end of the bottle, evenly spaced around it. Make sure the fins
extend about 2-3 inches (5-8 cm) past the nozzle, so that they can support the rocket when
it stands upright. Use duct tape to secure the fins firmly to the bottle2 SAME W THESE
4. Roll a piece of card stock or construction paper into a cone shape and cover it with duct
tape. This will be the nose cone of your rocket, which will make it more aerodynamic and
reduce drag. The base of the cone should be about the same diameter as the bottom of the
bottle. Tape the cone to the bottom of the bottle, opposite to the nozzle end1
5. Wrap some duct tape around the nozzle of the bottle, just below the fins, to add some
weight to that end of the rocket. This will be the ballast of your rocket, which will help
balance it and keep it stable in flight. You can also use coins, clay, or play-doh instead of
duct tape for this purpose13 WILL USE SIMULATOR TO FIGURE OUT PROPER
MASS
6. Fill the bottle about one-third full of water and insert the cork with the valve into the
opening. Make sure the cork is tight and secure, so that no water or air can escape1
7. Find a suitable launch site, such as an open field or a park, away from trees, power lines,
buildings, and people. Place your rocket on a flat surface, with the nozzle pointing
upwards and the fins resting on the ground.
8. Attach a bike pump to the Schrader valve on the cork and start pumping air into the
bottle. The air pressure will build up inside the bottle, pushing against the water and
creating thrust.
9. When you reach a high enough pressure (about 60-80 psi), pull on the valve to release the
cork and launch your rocket into the air. Be careful not to stand too close to the rocket or
behind it when you launch it, as it may fly unpredictably or spray water on you.

 Parameters:
o The optimal amount of water to fill your bottle is about one-third, as this will provide
enough thrust without adding too much weight to your rocket.
o The shape and size of your fins will affect how stable and straight your rocket flies. You
want your fins to be large enough to provide stability, but not too large that they create
too much drag or make your rocket unstable. A good rule of thumb is to make your fins
about one-tenth of your rocket’s length and one-fifth of its diameter.
o The shape and size of your nose cone will also affect how aerodynamic and fast your
rocket is. You want your nose cone to be smooth and pointed, but not too sharp that it
 creates turbulence or instability. A good rule of thumb is to make your nose cone about
half as long as your rocket’s body and have an angle of about 30 degrees at its tip.
o The weight distribution of your rocket will affect how balanced and stable it is in flight.
You want your rocket to have its center of mass slightly ahead of its center of pressure,
which is where the air pushes on your rocket. This will make your rocket fly straight and
resist turning or flipping over. A good way to achieve this is to add some weight to the
nozzle end of your rocket, such as duct tape, coins, clay, or play-doh. This will shift your
center of mass forward and create stability.

Instructions for Specific Stuff

 To make the nose cone, you need to cut out a circle from a piece of card stock or construction
paper. The diameter of the circle should be about the same as the bottom of the bottle. You can
use a compass, a protractor, or a circular object to trace the circle1234
 Next, you need to cut a straight line from the edge of the circle to the center. This will allow you
to fold the circle into a cone shape. You can use a ruler and a pencil to mark the line1234
 Then, you need to overlap the edges of the circle along the cut line and tape them together. This
will form a cone with an opening at the base. You can adjust the angle of the cone by changing
how much you overlap the edges. A smaller angle will make a sharper cone, while a larger angle
will make a flatter cone1234
 Finally, you need to tape the cone to the bottom of the bottle, opposite to the nozzle end. Make
sure the cone is centered and aligned with the bottle. You can use duct tape or masking tape to
secure the cone firmly to the bottle12
 To make the fins, you need to cut out four cardboard triangles that are about 4 inches (10 cm)
wide at the base and 7 inches (18 cm) long. You can use a ruler and a pencil to measure and draw
the triangles. You can also use scissors or a box cutter to cut them out12
 Next, you need to tape the fins to the nozzle end of the bottle, evenly spaced around it. Make sure
the fins extend about 2-3 inches (5-8 cm) past the nozzle, so that they can support the rocket when
it stands upright. You can use duct tape or masking tape to attach the fins firmly to the bottle12
 Then, you need to check if your fins are aligned and balanced. You can do this by holding your
rocket horizontally and spinning it around its axis. If your rocket wobbles or tilts, you may need to
adjust or trim your fins until they are symmetrical and stable5

Nosecone and Fins

To check the weight distribution of your bottle rocket, you need to find the center of mass and the center of
pressure of your rocket. The center of mass is the point where all the mass of the rocket is balanced. The
center of pressure is the point where all the aerodynamic forces are applied. For a rocket to be stable, the
center of mass should be closer to the nose than the center of pressure. This will make your rocket fly
straight and resist turning or flipping over. A good way to achieve this is to add some weight to the nozzle
end of your rocket, such as duct tape, coins, clay, or play-doh1.
To find the center of mass of your rocket, you can tie a string around the body tube at different locations
and balance it on your finger. The point where the rocket is horizontal is the center of mass. You can also
use a ruler or a pencil as a balance point instead of a string2. To find the center of pressure of your rocket,
you can draw an outline of your rocket on a piece of paper and cut it out. Then you can balance the paper
cutout on your finger or a ruler. The point where it balances is the center of pressure2. You can also use a
computer simulation tool to calculate these values for you3.

Additional Resources
 Bottle Rocket Simulations: This is a collection of three simulation programs from NASA that you
can download and run on your Windows-based computer. The first one is BottleRocketSim v.1.0,
which is a simple 1D simulator that lets you change the amount of water and air pressure in your
rocket. The second one is RocketModeler II, which is a more advanced 3D simulator that also
models stomp rockets and solid model rockets. The third one is WaterRocketSim, which is another
3D simulator that specifically models water rockets with different features like fins, nose cone,
and parachute2 water rocket sim seems like the best one for our needs
 Water Rocket Construction: This is a lesson plan from NASA that provides step-by-step
instructions on how to construct a simple water rocket from a two-liter soda bottle and other
materials. It also explains the basic principles of rocketry and how different factors affect the
rocket’s performance. You can also find some additional resources and activities related to water
rockets on this site3 not that useful but ill read up on it anyways