Air-Powered Rocket

pinshape

This rocket slips onto a one-inch PVC pipe, ready to be fired by compressed air. Our best launch achieved an impressive height of 306 feet. Watch it in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=TydK261hhFI#t=26s To replicate this success, print the design with a layer thickness of .3 mm, four additional shells, and a speed of 30 mm/sec. You may need to experiment with different settings to find what works best for you. The rocket's tip is designed as a solid hemisphere, its solidity determined by your chosen infill percentage. I used 40% infill, which seemed to work well enough. For the compressed air tank, we utilized three-inch ABS pipe and end-caps. We inserted a valve stem from a bicycle inner tube into one of the end-caps, along with a threaded sprinkler nipple, and filled the gap between the inserts and the holes with gasket adhesive. The pieces were then secured with hot glue for added safety. Once complete, the end-caps were attached to the pipe using ABS-glue. To release the air, we used an automatic sprinkler valve connected to a 9-volt battery via a big switch, creating a launch button. However, it turned out that the sprinkler valve seizes at 70 psi, so we conducted most of our launches at 60 psi. Under these conditions, we achieved heights ranging from 240 to 280 feet. **Warning:** Always wear hearing protection when launching the rocket. Never shoot at people, animals, or objects. Make sure to position yourself safely behind the launcher and test at lower pressures before increasing them.