Module 2: Fly

I wonder why we launch rockets? What benefits do they bring to society?

Rockets are used to launch satellites and space shuttles into space. Their extremely powerful engines help them blast into the stars at astonishing speeds.

Satellites are a helpful tool for us Earthlings. They circle around earth in an ‘orbit’ and send us data on things like animals, land and climate change. We use this data to protect our planet.

Did you know: We also sometimes use space satellites to watch TV!

There are four key things you need to successfully launch a rocket:

Let’s check in with Brittany, a Masters Student in Biomedical Research, to learn more:

When launching rockets, keeping you and your crew safe is your number one priority!

Hear what rocket engineer, Evan, has to say about keeping safe.

Want to level up your health and safety skills? Why not try this optional relay activity?

Optional activity: Health and safety relay

He tūmahi anō hei whai pea māu: He tauwhawhai e pā ana ki te hauora me te noho haumaru

Understanding launch hazards

A big part of rocket safety is understanding what hazards you might run into before you launch your rockets.

Now you have the basics down, you’re ready for your first test flight.

To get started, you’ll need a new 1.5 litre carbonated drink bottle. Due to its ability to stay together under high pressure, a carbonated drink bottle is the only type of bottle you should use with your rocket launcher.

We’re going to test a plain bottle for your first flights.

Testing variables

You’re going to collect data on your first test flight to understand how variables affect your rocket’s flight.

Variables are things that change or can be changed. People with STEM jobs use variables to experiment and test the best way to achieve their goals.

For your rocket launch, the variable you'll be testing is the water level in your bottle.

To get your rocket in the air, you’ll need to add air pressure.

You'll be pumping the air pressure to 60 psi, which stands for pound-force per square inch. Your rocket launcher has a psi gauge, so you can be really accurate.

Remember!

Before you head to the launchpad, don’t forget to:

• Review the health and safety rules
• Make sure you know your crew’s roles
• Ask someone to video the test flights
• Bring a copy of Mission Brief 4 and a pen to collect flight data!

Understanding your data

Now that you’ve collected data on your rocket variables, you can use this to figure out the best water level to launch your rocket sky-high.

Lightbulb moment! You can use data to make meaning from observations (what can you see and how can this help you?)

Get into your crew and analyse your results on Mission Brief 4. Your Mission Command can help you understand the data you’ve collected on this test flight.

• Learned all about rockets and how we use them
• Watched: 4 things to launch a rocket
• Watched: Safety first
• Completed Mission Brief 3: Launch hazards
• Watched: Launching your rocket
• Completed Mission Brief 4: First test flights

Optional – Health and Safety relay

Ready for the next step?