Happening: Actually, it is rocket science (Build Your Own Water Rocket)

If you look at the history of NASA in reverse, it’s about an underfunded government agency that gets people into space with the help of the Russians, develops a re-usable spacecraft, and eventually we go to the moon!

Be part of the next great step in our proud history of getting things off the ground at high velocity. I will be bringing a water/air soda bottle launcher like the one below. I’ll also have a few soda bottles and a variety of recyclables and crafting supplies to construct a space-ship fit for a Kerbal. Feel free to get a head start, or bring your own supplies for maximum ridiculosity.

I am not planning for this to be a formal competition, but if people want to when we start launching we can wing it. There will also be a secret mission criterion released at the happening.

If you shoot for the stars and miss, you’ll probably land somewhere in the trees and sagebrush and we’ll all have to go looking for you.

(For those of you who already started the Mentos/Coke thread, sorry to steal your thunder but it didn’t sound like anyone had committed to anything.)

5 Likes

Preference on time/day you’d like to launch?

How about an after lunch launch on Saturday?

Don’t feel bad about it. No one had decided, and I don’t think we had a proper launch system or anything set up yet. You might talk to the folks over there for a bit of collaboration. The more the better, right?

It is so decreed @Morse :rocket::dizzy:

Neat, thanks! What kind of bottles are best for that pad configuration?

Can we do it with 40s?

So far I have tested with 1L and 2L plastic (PET) soda bottles. I make no claims for other dimensions. Bottles MUST be plastic for safety reasons.

If people are able to bring their own bottles I’d appreciate it. I will be bringing a small collection, but honestly I don’t drink much soda.

Oooh, time to do some dumpster diving at the apartment recycling bin! (Everything will be sterilized in the dishwasher and/or with bleach solution before arriving, of course).

I am so excited for this!