A letter from water-rokets@yahoogroups.com

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To: water-rockets@yahoogroups.com
From: air.command@yahoo.com.au
Date: Thu, 31 Mar 2011 21:20:02 +0000
Subject: [water-rockets] 10 Challenges



Hi Guys,

I've been thinking about putting together a list of 10 tough water rocket challenges that would encourage broader innovation in the water rocket community. The main idea is that the challenges don't have complex rules, no judges, just very simple goals. The challenge achievements would be self-awarded purely on an honour system. It would be up to the individuals to choose how they interpret the few rules and how they present their achievements. Anyone can claim they have achieved a particular challenge, but without convincing evidence others in the community would probably remain skeptical.

There would be no ranking and no prizes awarded, though I was thinking that there could be a different badge for each challenge that people could put on their blogs or websites when they believe they have satisfied the spirit of a challenge.

I'm trying to exclude two specific challenges "Highest altitude" and "Longest hang time" as these are what most people concentrate on already. These 10 challenges are aimed at getting people thinking about designing their rockets and launchers in different ways.

Here are some ideas for a few of the challenges, but wanted to hear from others what people considered to be tough but achievable challenges. What should the challenges be?

In no particular order:

Precision - Fly a rocket that will not spin more than 90 degrees from launch to apogee. You can fly any water rocket you like, but will need show that it did not turn more than 90 degrees.

Accuracy - Land a rocket repeatably in the same spot. Or fly the same trajectory?

Durability - Fly a rocket 100 times without any repairs. Rocket must fly a minimum 100 feet on each launch that will be counted.  The rocket does not have to fly 100 times consecutively or even on the same day. Flights that don't reach 100 feet are not counted.

Power - Lift a 100Kg mass 10m.

Complexity - Launch a 5 stage rocket.

Speed - Launch the same rocket 10 times in 30 minutes.

Reusability - ?

Repeatability -?


The idea is that the less rules there are the broader the approach people can take to achieve the challenge.

Time to put your thinking caps on, all comments and suggestions are welcome. :)


- George