ASE/IoP Rocket Launcher Construction & Experimenting Session all parts, tools, tuition etc supplied by Institute of Physicsall

l attendees need to supply is a (car tyre) foot-pump

What did the pupils enjoy most?

designing, making & firing our rocketsand then improving on our design!

Construction highlights

Rocket Launcher
Make-&-Take

The kit of parts that you need:

1 1 2 1 1 1 x x x x x x 2m length of 22mm Cu pipe 50cm length of plastic pipe elbow compression joints tyre valve ball valve plastic elbow joint

Shared tools etc

Pipe cutters Pliers Plumbers 22 mm spanners Plumbers tape Permanent marker pen

 the tubing: 2-metre lengths of 22mm diameter copper & plastic tubing

Step 1
Cut the following lengths of 22mm copper pipe. 85cm 55cm 30cm 30cm

85cm 55cm 2 x 30cm

Using the pipe cutters proper plumbers tools are better a than hack-saw

the pipe cutters have sharp wheels that cut their way through the pipes as you turn the cutters

cutting the copper tube with the preferred pipe-cutter

the 4 lengths of copper tubing ready for assembly

the pipes are connected together via compression fittings the circular olive is compressed as the nuts are tightened onto the thread

Compression joints

We need to remove the sharp bits and edges to make the pipe easier to work with. Itll help if we have to take the rocket launcher apart at any time.

We need to roughen the ends so the olives have something to grip onto.

The olives are the copper rings used in the compression joints

the rest of the parts & the necessary tools:

detail: spanners, nut, olive & plumbers (ptfe) tape

detail: the ball valve, elbow joiners, & plumbers (ptfe) tape

detail: the (diameter-) reducer (left), & the (car tyre) pneumatic valve:

putting the pneumatic assembly together with a pair of pliers

putting the pneumatic assembly together with a pair of plierspull through

pull through (hard)until it clicks into place

 Fit the end-cap onto the end of the longest (85 cm) piece of pipe. Use spanners or basin wrenches to turn the nuts of the compression joint.

all of the metal parts ready for final assembly dont forget the olives & the ptfe tape at all joints

Put the screw threaded ring on first

Then the olive.

Put some PTFE tape around the screw thread to help make a better seal.

The compression joints all work in the same way. You squeeze the olive and it seals the joint as its forced into any gaps. Make the joints as tight as you can. The pipe should not be able to turn in the joint.

If you undo a joint you may need a new olive.

finally, cut a 55cm length of the plastic pipe to make the launch tube, and use a plastic push-fit elbow joiner

The plastic joint is pushfit - just push it onto the copper pipe and push the plastic pipe into it

this allows easy rotation, so that the launch-angle can be a variable in investigations

 Fit the two elbow compression joints and the 55 cm and one 30 cm piece of pipe. Make the joints as tight as you can.

Step 6

Ready to test do a final tighten of all joints, close the ball valve, connect the footpump, pump to 4 atmospheres/60 psiand listen & watch the pressure gaugeif there are any leaks, trace & re-tighten!

Rockets

cut a mandrel - 35cm of plastic pipe using the pipe cutter

You now need 2 sheets of A4 paper,some sticky tape and a pair of scissors - make fuselage, nose cone & fins to whatever design you think will give best Performance

 roll the sheet of A4 round the mandrel

secure it in place with a few bits of sticky tape

c) put tape all along one edge

The tube needs to be airtight.

d) tape up one end to make it airtight too.

Go over the top of the tube several times with the tape.

e) add fins and a nose cone.

Variations * length of fuselage *shape/length of nose-cone *fins location, number * mass of rocket
(thickness/amount of cardboard)