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How to Make Mini Rockets That Fly Up

Use a plastic bottle to make these high-flying mini rockets. This is perfect for a young scientist, although parental supervision is advised when operating the drill. You can make the mini rocket in a matter of minutes, but it is sure to provide many hours of outdoor fun. The rockets shoot amazingly high into the air, so only launch your mini rocket if you are in an open space and there are no children or pets that may be injured by falling rockets.

Things You'll Need

Plastic bottle (this rockets works exactly the same for small water bottles, one or two-liter soda bottles and even water cooler bottles)
4 pieces of poster board
Scissors
Tape
3 ounce ball of clay
Rubber stopper which fits into the top of the bottle
Bicycle pump with needle
Drill with 1/16 drill bit
Water

Instructions

- 1
  Clean out the bottle and remove the cap.
- 2
  Fashion one sheet of poster board into a cone. The bottom of the cone must be the same diameter as the bottom of the bottle. Tape the poster board into a cone and cut the bottom straight with the scissors.
- 3
  Press the clay into the tip of the cone. The added weight in the nose cone will help to stabilize the rocket. Tape the nose cone to the bottom of your plastic bottle.
- 4
  Cut four fins out of the poster board. The fins can be any shape or size. You can experiment with different shapes and sizes to find which ones work best for your bottle. Tape them to the sides of the bottle. The fins should extend a little way beyond the bottle top.
- 5
  Drill a small hole into the rubber stopper. The hole should be big enough for the needle to fit through. Ensure that it is a snug fit or you will lose vital air pressure during the launch.
- 6
  Fill the bottle 1/3 to 1/4 with water. Place the needle into the stopper, then push the stopper into the the bottle top.
- 7
  Turn the rocket over and rest it on the fins. Attach the pin to the pump and start pumping. When the pressure inside the bottle becomes too great, the stopper will shoot out of the bottle and the bottle will soar into the air.

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