Let me preface this post with a warning - rockets are dangerous. Please be extra careful if you even think about experimenting with them. Now onto the fun stuff…
With the exception of solid fuel model rockets, actual rocket engines have been out of the reach (and budget) of most DIY’s. However, there’s an older rocket technology called a pulse jet engine which is making a comeback amongst do it yourselvers. It was first invented by Germany and used in their notorious V-1 rockets (buzz bombs) in WWII. One reason they’re popular today is that they can be built with no moving parts. Here’s more info on how they work.
One of the simplest possible pulse jet engines can be made out of a standard jam jar. Make magazine (if you don’t already have a subcription I highly recommend it) has a great article on how to make one of these out of easy-to-find parts. Here’s a video of the jam jar project.
Some have also tried creating their own turbine jet engines - while difficult to create from scratch, an automobile turbocharger can be modified for the purpose. Others are creating rockets which use a combination of tar and oxygen for fuel. These rockets tend to be quite powerful and this video gives an example of why you need a protective barrier when fooling with this stuff:
For those who’d rather avoid the danger of fire and explosions. I suggest trying a water bottle rocket instead - basically, a 2L pop bottle pumped up to 70psi+ that can go about 80-100ft in the air. Here a video of the bottle rocket in action
[...] of the arduino or anyone interested in making cool stuff, might want to take a look at these great USB hardware gadgets (called phidgets) offered by [...]
Technology and the US election I've written several times about the impact of social networks on this year's US Presidential election - see here and here. And let's be honest, the use of such networks and new web 2.0 technologies has been dominated by Obama. He’s embraced social networks like no other candidate in an attempt to connect with [...]
[...] of the arduino or anyone interested in making cool stuff, might want to take a look at these great USB hardware gadgets (called phidgets) offered by [...]
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