SUCCESS! SUCCESS! :)

 Launch Day 3

In this past launch we added new fins, a new cone, a parachute, and extended the bottle. We decided to tape on the cardboard fins because the hot glue just came off on the last launch. Our new cone was made of laminated construction paper and we used duct tape to put the cone together in order to hold down our parachute. Our parachute was made of thin cloth. We made a circle chute and attached it to the bottle with 6 thick strings of cloth and duct tape. We also cute the top half of our Coke 2L bottle off and taped it to the bottom of our bottle to increase the aerodynamic stability. In our first launch it lasted 3 seconds in the air, but the parachute deployed and the cone popped off. In our second launch it blasted over 50 feet in the air and lasted about 10.7 seconds, but the parachute didn't really work. We think that our rocket worked because of the firm planted fins and the nose cone and extension for better aerodynamics. Next, we hope to make a more efficient parachute with longer strings to connect to the bottle and a lighter parachute materal. We also want to add a weight to the cone in order to help it fall off mid-air. Overall, it was a good launch and we hope to keep on getting better. 

Launch day 2... 3/1/11

Launch numba 2

can also be found at *http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpdjwyOo_AA*

Today we added some modifications onto our bottle rocket. We attempted to add on fins, and a ghetto nose cone. We found out that our nose cone was not too great. When we make another one, we found out that we need to make it more aerodynamic for it to work. The fins that we added on helped a little. But we didnʻt get the angles and shape of the fins right. And also next time, we need secure the fins on better. Another modification we need to add on, is some weight. That will help the rocket fly straighter and hopefully better.