Today, February 28, 2012, we executed a practice water rocket launch. For this launch we used a plain 2-liter soda bottle (in this case we used a diet Coca-Cola bottle). This bottle was not modified in any way, shape, or form. This launch mainly showed us how the water rocket launch system works and the proper safety procedures. This launch also allowed us to gather data such as "hang-time"(time in the ayer!).
From this launch we discovered that our bottle, if filled with 500 mL of water and 40 psi of pressure, has a hang-time of approximately 4 seconds (4.01 sec to be very specific). We also discovered that the bottle went fairly straight immediately after the launch but flipped as it fell (flipped as in spun top over bottom). We think that adding a coned nose and fins at the bottom would help to solve this problem. We also think that adding weights disproportionally to the ends (nose and bottom, bottom being heavier) would help it to stay vertical as it falls. We also observed that the wind affects the flight of the bottle. The wind, at midday (between 12-1 'o clock), was blowing mauka to makai (or from Konia to the Auditorium). We recognized this and decided that launching the bottle as close to Konia as possible would compensate for the gusty wind.
Thursday is launch day 2 and we will be modifying our rocket to hopefully improve it.
Here is a video from the first day of launch.
From this launch we discovered that our bottle, if filled with 500 mL of water and 40 psi of pressure, has a hang-time of approximately 4 seconds (4.01 sec to be very specific). We also discovered that the bottle went fairly straight immediately after the launch but flipped as it fell (flipped as in spun top over bottom). We think that adding a coned nose and fins at the bottom would help to solve this problem. We also think that adding weights disproportionally to the ends (nose and bottom, bottom being heavier) would help it to stay vertical as it falls. We also observed that the wind affects the flight of the bottle. The wind, at midday (between 12-1 'o clock), was blowing mauka to makai (or from Konia to the Auditorium). We recognized this and decided that launching the bottle as close to Konia as possible would compensate for the gusty wind.
Thursday is launch day 2 and we will be modifying our rocket to hopefully improve it.
Here is a video from the first day of launch.
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