This area is all about model rockets, I now have a lot of rockets some are from kits and some we have made from old tubes like Pringles tubes. If you want to see my rockets click here.

A Model rocket is made from light card tubes, balsa wood or plastic fins and nosecone. They are very easy to make.  The picture below shows the basics that make up a model rocket.

The rocket engine and recovery wadding are the only bits of the rocket that you have to replace to fly it again. The engine is a special cardboard tube with a black powder propellant inside, the engine is put in a tube in the back of the rocket and is held in the rocket by a clip or a bit of tape. To light the engine you use an electronic igniter so you are not near the rocket when it launches. The Picture below shows a cut away view of a typical model rocket engine, for more details on model rocket engines look at the engines section. The picture shows the igniter in the hole of the clay nozzle. The delay element does not make the rocket fly higher or faster but lets it slow down before the ejection charge fires and ejects the front off the rocket. The recovery wadding is a fireproof tissue it stops the parachute from getting burnt.

The Parachute is to bring the rocket back down to the ground slowly so it does not crash and break. It is typically made of a piece of plastic sheet and some strings in model rockets. It has to be carefully folded so when it is blown out of the rocket, it will open easily.

The launch lug on the side of the rocket holds the rocket on the launch rod and helps it fly straight by keeping it pointing upwards on the launch rod until the rocket is flying at a sufficient speed for the fins to produce a stabilizing effect.