FIRE Rocket Challenge
Competition Requirements
and
Supplemental Resources
Competition Requirements
Presentation
Teams should use PowerPoint, Google Slides, or similar software to create the presentation of no more than 20 slides. The first slide should be a cover page (team name, member names, and mission patch). The second slide is the introduction of team members. The remainder of the presentation must include diagrams, pictures, graphs, and videos of students’ work collected during the season.
Successful teams will use the presentation to explain the rocket—how it was designed/built, dimensions and weight, and motor type. Groups should also apply Newton’s Laws of Motion to rocket flight, explain how data was collected, and demonstrate the difference between weight/mass. Teams should also explain how data determined any adjustments made to the rocket to make sure the rocket performed to specifications.
The final slides should discuss how the lessons learned during the competition season apply to members’ lives and the aerospace industry. For example, learning can be applied to past and future NASA, SpaceX, etc., missions, to possible careers in aerospace/STEAM fields, and any changes in goals after graduation from high school.
Design Notebook
The Design Notebook Tips page is a great place to start to ensure the book is the best product. Evidence of consistent documentation in the Notebook will most likely be the dates the entry was made. Entries should be legible, and references to graphics are correct. Data and notes should be easy to follow, and pictures, drawings, print-outs, etc., are relevant and easy to understand.
Rocket Flight
Day of the competition, students will use the best of two flights to qualify. “Best flight” will be the closest altitude to the target, recovery system deployment, and the return of an unbroken egg
Prizes
First Place is awarded to the team with the highest combined score
Second Place is awarded to the team with the second highest combined score
Third Place is awarded to the team with the third highest combined score
Fire Rocket Challenge Suggested Timeline
Click HERE for a full list of suggested activities
SEPTEMBER: Get Started & Build the Foundation
OCTOBER: Learn, Test, and Simulate
NOVEMBER: Design, Build, and Prepare
DECEMBER: Begin Testing
JANUARY: Test & Refine
FEBRUARY: Finalize Rocket Design and Start Oral Presentation Slide Deck
MARCH-APRIL: Finalize Presentation and One Last Launch
APRIL-MAY: Compete and Have Fun!
Get Creative!!!!
You have discovered the effects mass has on the duration, velocity, and altitude of a model rocket’s flight and are ready to share your rocket proposal with the FIRE Rocket judges for the opportunity to win the award!
Your proposal will include a presentation and demonstrate a successful rocket launch and recovery.
Create a 10-minute presentation that:
Explains the difference between mass and weight Discuss Newton’s Laws of Motion and rockets Explain your data trends
Explains your hypothesis and if your data supported it Connect the project to a real-world scenario
Share examples of aerospace/STEM careers
Your presentation should include:
A minimum of one diagram
A minimum of three graphs
Visually appealing slides
A minimum of one embedded video
Communicate the Results
Rocket Considerations
Rocket should be painted/decorated
Egg-protection device should be easily accessible
Altimeter should be protected in case the egg breaks
Rocket should meet the “challenge requirements” for length, weight, diameter and propulsion system
Use a rocket design simulator, like Open Rocket, to test your design before you build and launch it.
Model Rockets
Parts of a Single Stage Model Rocket
We have laid the rocket on its side and cut a hole in the body tube so that we can see what is inside. Beginning at the far right, the body of the rocket is a green cardboard tube with black fins attached at the rear. The fins can be made of either plastic or balsa wood and are used to provide stability during flight. Model rockets use small, pre-packaged solid fuel engines. The engine is used only once, and then is replaced with a new engine for the next flight. Engines come in a variety of sizes and can be purchased at hobby stores and at some toy stores. The thrust of the engine is transmitted to the body of the rocket through the engine mount. This part is fixed to the rocket and can be made of heavy cardboard or wood. There is a hole through the engine mount to allow the ejection charge of the engine to pressurize the body tube at the end of the coasting phase and eject the nose cone and the recovery system.
Recovery wadding is inserted between the engine mount and the recovery system to prevent the hot gas of the ejection charge from damaging the recovery system. The recovery wadding is sold with the engine. The recovery system consists of a parachute (or a streamer) and some lines to connect the parachute to the nose cone. Parachutes and streamers are made of thin sheets of plastic.
The nose cone can be made of balsa wood, or plastic, and may be either solid or hollow. The nose cone is inserted into the body tube before flight. An elastic shock cord is connected to both the body tube and the nose cone. It is used to keep all the parts of the rocket together during recovery. The launch lugs are small tubes (straws) attached to the body tube. The launch rail is inserted through these tubes to provide stability to the rocket during launch.
🚀 What Is a Model Rocket Engine?
A model rocket engine is a small, solid-fuel engine that powers a model rocket into the air. It works kind of like a firework, but it’s carefully designed to be safe and predictable for hobbyists, students, and educators. It uses solid fuel to lift your rocket into the sky, then triggers a parachute so it lands gently.
🔥 How Does It Work?
Model rocket engines use a type of solid propellant—a special chemical mixture packed inside a small tube (usually made of cardboard or metal). Here’s what happens when you launch:
🧪 What's Inside a Model Rocket Engine?
A basic engine has these parts:
🔤 Engine Labels (Like B6-4)
Engines have codes, like A8-3, that tell you how powerful they are:
✅ Safety First
Model rocket engines are designed to be safe when used properly: