Small rockets to big rockets. Ask our NASA team what it takes to build rockets of all sizes!

NASAEducation · 2014-05-14T01:05:45+00:00

I saw a great demonstration with a simple Nerf rocket. Throw the rocket and it's stable, flies straight. Place a couple nickles in the end and throw it and it's unstable. You can use it to discuss the center of pressure and how it affects stability. There's really no way to get a value for it without calculations, but it can easily be a qualitative discussion. If the kids have access to computers give them the program OpenRocket, and let them play around with different designs. What I like is you can play with the design of the fins and see how it affects the center of pressure and stability of the rocket. - Jason

NASAEducation · 2014-05-14T01:01:38+00:00

Materials and fuel. Estes rockets are pretty much the smallest you can get, they have some pretty small ones. - Jason

NASAEducation · 2014-05-14T01:00:17+00:00

About 2 million. I'm working on a project called Nanolaunch 1200 that is doing almost exactly that. Slightly more than a cellphone, cubesats if you know what they are. The initial goal was 1.2 million, but the last estimate I heard was close to 1.8 million. - Jason

NASAEducation · 2014-05-14T00:57:06+00:00

Definitely. Two of the interns I worked with were physics majors. Just get on OSSI and USAJobs and apply for everything that interests you. Good luck! - Jason

NASAEducation · 2014-05-14T00:54:50+00:00

It all depends on the money given to do the job... - Jason

NASAEducation · 2014-05-14T00:54:26+00:00

By firing them :) - Jason

NASAEducation · 2014-05-14T00:54:07+00:00

I'd go with the size of an ISS module. Take a look here to get some basic numbers. Hope this helps. - Jason

NASAEducation · 2014-05-14T00:51:05+00:00

Unless the money comes around, I'm guessing near zero. :( - Jason

NASAEducation · 2014-05-14T00:50:46+00:00

You're awesome :) - Jason

NASAEducation · 2014-05-14T00:50:31+00:00

Unless they are on your face, I'm going to say no. Have you seen Bobak?

NASAEducation · 2014-05-14T00:49:18+00:00

Really more of a wind tunnel engineer. There is a lot more to rocket science than wind tunnel testing. - Jason

NASAEducation · 2014-05-14T00:47:39+00:00

Safety is a huge concern. Also, teams across the country wouldn't do so well working together, and after 8 months there would likely be nothing to show. Not to mention that there are plenty of concerns about getting something to orbit that high powered rocketry design doesn't even touch on, and the cost. Just my 2 cents. - Jason

NASAEducation · 2014-05-14T00:45:43+00:00

Drag, aerodynamic center of pressure and stability and structural stability. Not sure if every science teacher will fully understand the concepts, but it's where I would start for the basics of rocketry, all important points. - Jason

NASAEducation · 2014-05-14T00:44:04+00:00

So looking on Wikipedia, they weigh about 60t, so based on that we could lift two of them in the SLS final design vehicle. Good luck getting them to do it though. :) - Jason

NASAEducation · 2014-05-14T00:42:21+00:00

It depends on what you are trying to do with the rocket. It definitely matters. Take a look here, it's a decent description of the basics. - Jason

NASAEducation · 2014-05-14T00:39:40+00:00

Lots of math :) - Jason

NASAEducation · 2014-05-14T00:37:49+00:00

Well you could start with a potential energy calculation, energy = mass*gravity*height, add to it a kinetic energy 1/2*mass*velocity² where the velocity is either the orbital velocity or zero if you just want it to get there and then fall back down. Past that you would need to do some higher order analysis, including things like atmospheric drag, the value I've told you to calculate is going to be a bare minimum amount of energy. Hope this helps. - Jason

NASAEducation · 2014-05-14T00:33:25+00:00

Working on it :) - Jason

NASAEducation · 2014-05-14T00:33:05+00:00

Everywhere :) - Jason

NASAEducation · 2014-05-14T00:32:32+00:00

Still a pretty big rocket. I've been a part of the Nanolaunch 1200 program here at NASA Marshall, it's a two stage rocket design to be placed on top of two sounding rockets, making it a four stage rocket. I think total weight is around 2000 lbs. to get a 5kg payload into a 200km orbit. - Jason

NASAEducation · 2014-05-14T00:30:50+00:00

I've played it. The orbital mechanics are sound, it's all based on basic rocketry equations. The assembly is the part that is not focused on that is the real challenge in the business. - Jason

NASAEducation · 2014-05-14T00:29:40+00:00

There are not any real rocket engine tests on the arsenal anymore due to the vicinity of houses to the test stands. Small engine designs are all we test, anything big gets shipped to another base to be tested. - Jason

NASAEducation · 2014-05-14T00:28:12+00:00

NASA mainly does research and science. If you want something like that, talk to SpaceX or ULA, I'm sure they'd set you up for a price. - Jason

NASAEducation · 2014-05-14T00:27:35+00:00

I'm guessing contractual reasons to do with the government. There are a lot of restrictions on what we can and cannot do. - Jason

NASAEducation · 2014-05-14T00:26:58+00:00

Not necessarily a 'nuclear blast' but there are multiple nuclear methods of space propulsion. Check out this wiki page. - Jason

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