Make: Rockets

Chapter 1. Let’s Fly Some Rockets!

There are three basic kinds of rockets in hobby rocketry, and we’re going to start right off by building small examples of each. Part of the reason is for you to learn some basic concepts before moving on to bigger rockets. Part is just to have some fun with matches, balloons, and projectiles.

The first kind of hobby rocket is the one you may have seen in hobby stores or the local park. Solid propellant rockets burn some sort of chemical, usually black powder in model rocketry. We’ll take a look at solid propellant rockets using a match head as rocket fuel.

Figure 1-1. Match head, balloon, and straw rockets are simple ...