Term 3 rocket science journal

30/8/16
Today we spent our lesson downloading the application Google sketch up
Which allows us to make anything on the 3D printer. The downloading was
very slow because, everyone was using the internet. While downloading
Google Sketch up we researched

1/9/16
Today I learned how to make a cone from Russel. And we started to make
a nose cone. We had issues making the cone but we finally made a very

bad cone.

6/9/16
Today, I finished my nose cone. We made many but I couldnt make it in a
STL because I forgot my google account password so I successfully made
a STL at home.

8/9/16
Today I handed in my STL file to Mrs St Pierre and I am now waiting for the
nose cone to be printed. We only have 1 chance to print it so we have to
be careful of mistakes I also used the spare time of the lesson to do my
focus questions.
4/10/16
Today, I got my nose cone back but it was unsuccessful because, the
inside of the nose cone was covered and I had to cut out the base so there
is space to put the parachute in. We also, worked on out rocket fins. We
dont know what shape to use but on the internet it states that trapezium
or a rectangle is the best shape. We are planning on a piece of paper how
to cut the balsa wood.
11/10/16
Today, I planned my shape of fin to be a rectangle because it said on
this website,

https://www.apogeerockets.com/technical_publication_16

that a rectangle is the best shape for the fins but, a rectangle is not very
air resistant so instead, I chose to use a parallelogram because, it is much
more air resistant than a rectangle.

13/10/16
Today, I cut out my fins but the cutting was unsuccessful. I had trouble
cutting the balsa wood and accidentally broke the scalpel in half not the
wood! From then I got a new scalpel and was able to cut the balsa wood.
After cutting the wood, I sand papered my wood so it was smooth and all
even with no bumps. I glued the fin on successfully and the fins didnt
snap.
18/10/16
Today, I glued my balsa wood onto my body but, the fins were a bit
crooked and wasnt perfectly identical and, I didnt notice that you had to
use PVA glue to stick the fins on and, I accidental only used the hot glue
gun to stick the fins on. I also decorated my rocket with many colours.
20/10/16
Today, one of my fins broke so I had to stick it back on. The fin I stuck on
made the rocket even more crooked and made the balance of the rocket
uneven. This may lead to the rocket flying in not straight directions.

25/10/16
This lesson I checked many websites explaining about which parachute is
best. I decided to make a circled parachute without a hole in the middle. I
cut it out on a piece of paper so I will know how and where to cut it next
Thursday.

27/10/16
Today, I made my parachute but it was crooked and wasnt working, so I
had to make another parachute that will actually work. With this material.

1/11/16
Today I started to make my parachute but, Mrs St Pierre said the size was
too small so we had to make another parachute bigger than the first
parachute. We used the comical flask to cut out the parachute so this time
we are going to use a bucket to cut the parachute out.
3/11/16
I finally made my parachute big enough that it will work. I cut holes in the
parachute for my string to go in and, I attached a few strings for the
parachute.

8/11/16
Today, I finished my parachute but the hard thing was to tie the knots. I
kept failing to tie the knots and the string always became over or under
30cm. I also painted my parachute pink, yellow and purple.

10/11/16
Today, I tied my bungee cord to the body and the nose cone. I also made
the wooden circle that is used to stick the engine on the cone. The
diameter of my cone 30cm so I had to ask Mrs St Pierre to make the 30cm
diameter wooden circles. Now I have to sand paper the small hole to make
it fit into the rocket engine.
15/11/16
Today, I finished sanding the wooden circle for my rocket engine but when
I shoved the circle into the engine the wooden circle cracked so I had to
get another wooden circle. And sand the hole again which takes very long.
17/11/16

Today, I finished my second wooden circle and stuck it on the engine but I
didnt have time to stick the rocket engine with the wooden circles on the
rocket.
22/11/16
Today, I glued my rocket engine into the nose cone but another problem
occurred. When Mr Reylie put the fuse into the rocket engine the rocket
engine wasnt stuck to the wooden circle and 1 wooden circle was cracked
so I had to use a new one that my friend Joel gave me to use as my last
chance for the rocket engine. This small piece of wooden circle choses the
decision of my rocket flying or not flying.