How to make a water rocket from a plastic bottle

Summer is in full swing! For those who are already fed up with barbecues and sun loungers on the beach, we offer a cool idea for outdoor entertainment: a water rocket. The children will squeak with delight, the girls will be smitten on the spot, the neighbors at the dacha are extremely surprised in a rage. The idea is not new, water rockets are very popular abroad, there are even special championships for launching these pieces. You can buy them in the store, or you can make them yourself. Let's talk about this.

The principle of operation of a water rocket is extremely simple. You need a plastic bottle, one-third filled with water, a bicycle or car pump, a nipple and a launch pad (launcher) on which the rocket is fixed. The pump pumps air - the bottle flies high and far, spraying water around. All the "fuel" is squeezed out in the first moments after the launch, and then the rocket flies along a ballistic trajectory (therefore, the center of gravity is brought forward as much as possible).

But the technical variations in the manufacture of this structure can be very different. Some amateurs create real masterpieces:

Let's consider one of the simplest options.

1. Choosing a bottle

The rocket must not be too long or too short, otherwise the flight will come out in a curve or not at all. The optimum diameter / length ratio is 1 to 7. A volume of 1.5 liters is quite suitable for the first experiments.

2. We select the cork

You will need a valve plug for lemonade or any other beverage. This will be the rocket nozzle.

It is important that the valve is new, not worn out, and does not allow air to pass through. It is best to test it ahead of time by caping the empty bottle and squeezing it firmly.

3. Attach the nipple

A hole must be made in the bottom of the bottle and the nipple must be fixed in it, with the "nose" outward. The main thing here is to achieve the highest possible tightness: tighten the clamping screw to the maximum, you can experiment with glue or plasticine. The bottle must be air tight.

4. Cut out the stabilizers

In order for the rocket to fly smoothly, it must be installed correctly. The easiest way is to make the stabilizer (legs) from another plastic bottle. To do this, the bottle is cut in half, straightened. Then, on this flat surface, draw the outline of the stabilizer, provide a reserve for attachment to the rocket body.

Now cut out the stabilizer along the outline and glue it to the rocket with tape.

The figure also shows a weighted rocket body, this author used a cut off part of another bottle with a weight-bolt in the cap. In fact, there is full scope for imagination and experimentation, it is possible to accurately determine the optimal load in the head of your rocket only after several launches. The shape of the legs can also be different, for example, you can use the upper part of a plastic bottle, attach plastic legs to it, and put the rocket itself inside:

As for the launch pad, here, too, you can be creative to your heart's content. Someone prepares complex structures with a guiding axis, someone carves special devices from wood, and someone simply fixes the rocket on a flat surface with improvised means.

In principle, after the described actions, you already have the simplest water rocket ready. You just need to take a lot of water, a pump and an assistant with you: he will hold the rocket with the plug down and press the valve with his hands while you pump air with the pump. It is recommended to pump 3-6 atmospheres for a bottle of 1.5 liters (in this sense, a car pump is more convenient), then disconnect the hose and release the plug at the expense of "three or four". The rocket has been launched! She flies high enough and effectively, and most importantly - the whole process is not life-threatening. True, the assistant usually has to take a forced shower from the "fuel":)

If you liked this idea and want to experiment further, we recommend reading, for example, there are more complicated rockets here, with real launchers. a picture with step-by-step instructions, though in English, but everything is quite accessible. Well, if you liked the video and wanted to repeat something like that, welcome to rocket simulation: serious uncles use several compressed air bottles at the start, and only one contains water.