During the first two weeks of May, local AIAA members spoke to the Conceptual Physics class at Burroughs High School on topics related to rocketry. The sessions included both lectures and hands-on experiments including static firing of 18 small rocket motors (To measure thrust/time curves), analysis of experimental data, and finally launching a number of Estes Alphas to see just how accurate their analysis was.
While an honest attempt was made to teach the basic concepts of rocketry, the primary focus of the sessions was to show the students that "rocket science" wasn't so mysterious after all and most of all, to HAVE FUN! We believe we achieved this goal.
A Typical Thrust/Time curve obtained
We gave the students a number of
worksheets
to aid their understanding...
Dave and Roger try to help some
students
through the performance prediction calculations.
Can you feel the intensity?
The volunteers (from left to right):
Roger Toftner, Amy Pillers,
Mike Herr, David Hall, Ed Pillers, and Craig
Porter.
Kerri Cope: The fearless teacher who
dared let us in.