How to Launch a Model Rocket Safely
Model rockets are a great hobby and provide a lot of fun for the whole family. Most people that enjoy building and launching model rockets usually start this wonderful hobby at a young age. Getting involved with model rocketry can provide an excellent educational platform for children as it covers different scientific principles. However, model rocketry can also be unsafe as launching rockets and loading rocket motors deals with some hazardous items. If you want to launch a model rocket safely then there are few techniques that you can use to get the job done properly.
Instructions
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1
Find appropriate site:
Find an appropriate launch site that is away for trees, dry leaves, branches, dry grass or other flammable items. Also, make sure there are no tall buildings or homes nearby as your rocket will reach a very high altitude and as it comes back down it can land on a car or home and cause damage. Remember that a model rocket generates quite a bit of heat when it is launched and that can cause fires. So it is always important to find a suitable location that is clear from anything that might catch fire. -
2
Clean site:
Once you have found a suitable launch site you should clean the area from debris. Be sure to pick up any dry leaves or branches that might be lying around the launch site. Also, make sure that you have cleared up enough space in case something goes wrong during the launch. -
3
Place launch pad:
Take your launch pad and place it in the middle of the launch site that you have cleaned and prepared. Make sure that there is enough room for the recovery of the rocket once it comes back down after launch. -
4
Position rocket:
Prepare and position your model rocket by adding the rocket motor and other items that are required for launch. Place the igniting system with some tape on the rocket motor and place the rocket on the launch pad. -
5
Connect controller:
Now safely connect the controller. Make sure that the launch key is set to off or that it is not inserted in to the controller for safety. Be sure that after you connect the controller you step back to a safe distance. -
6
Launch rocket:
Now that you have connected the rocket and are at safe distance be sure to check to make sure that nobody is in the immediate area of your launch site. Once it is all clear you can insert the launch key in to the controller and wait for the light to turn on. Push the launch key and check your model rocket climb in to the sky.
