One of the things I remember fondly from my childhood was building and launching model rockets with my dad. So when my son William got a model rocket as a gift from his aunt, it was really fun to get back into it. We have built and launched several rockets now. We are also working […]
Building a hybrid rocket engine by combining clear acrylic with gaseous oxygen.
Our latest Weekend Project will launch not one, not two, but ten model rockets simultaneously! Built around a 555 Timer IC and a few different types of launch switches, this project is ideal for rocket clubs and launch events.
The Uira Engine is a part of the guts from the Raygun Gothic Rocket Ship, which now resides in San Francisco’s Embarcadero. For Maker Faire Bay Area 2011, the engine was displayed by its designer, Alan Rorie. The engine consists of a series of cylinders that slowly rotate while emitting capacitive discharge that’s pleasing to the eye. Parts of this were handmade as well as produced from a CNC, and provided an important visual component to the rocket ship.
On September 30, Derek Deville’s Qu8k (pronounced “Quake”) rocket blasted off from the Black Rock Desert in Nevada, screaming to an altitude of 121,000′ It was returned safely to earth and fully recovered (three miles from the launch site).
In this how-to video, Lucas Weakley walks you through the process of making paper rockets for the compressed air rocket launcher found in MAKE Volume 15. Based on his experience from making his own rockets, he offers a lot of great tips and tricks. The Compressed Air Rockets Kit is available in the Maker Shed if youโd like to get started launching your own rockets.
There’s nothing in this world that makes my cats happier than a good old fashioned cardboard box. So, taking a cue from them, I designed a cat tree that turns four regular cardboard boxes into a flashy two-story cat rocket.
