Welcome
T-minus 3,2,1 lift-off!
As part of WPI’s centennial celebration of Dr. Robert H. Goddard’s graduation from WPI in 1908, the Physics Department is launching the First Annual Commemorative Water Rocket Competition, to be held at the WPI Athletic Field on Saturday June 7, with June 8 as a rain date.
| June 7 - Schedule of Events | |
|---|---|
| Time | Events |
| 10am - 11am | Check-in |
| 10am - 2pm | Launching and poster competitions |
| 3pm | Awards Ceremony |
| 4pm | Alumni Closing Salvo! |
Dr. Robert H. Goddard
Students with a tendency to space-out are welcome.
We are inviting all schools in Worcester, kindergarten through college, to send up teams of students to the event. Each team must include a member of their school’s faculty to serve as team leader.
Soft-land the egg in Goddard’s Circle!
Teams will compete for prizes by launching their own home-made water rocket and attempting to soft-land a chicken egg in “Goddard’s Circle”. Prizes will also be awarded for excellence in design, and masterful presentation of theory.
Why water rockets?
Dr. Goddard launched the world’s first liquid fuel rocket on March 16, 1926. To honor his achievement, we thought it fitting that the participants use “liquid fuel” as well. Of course, whereas Dr. Goddard used a combustible fuel, for safety purposes we choose non-combustible water. Novices! Do not let that disturb your orbit. Track our links to the World Wide Web and marvel at the stratospheric feats of pop-bottles filled with pressurized water.
Providing science out-reach through other-worldly mentoring.
WPI physics student and faculty volunteers will be available to provide mentoring on request to registered teams. During the count-down to “rocket day”, mentors will guide and assist their teams in the design, development and testing of their rockets and launchers.
A rocketry workshop!
A rocketry workshop will be held at WPI on Saturday May 10, from 8-11am, about one month in advance of the competition. The mission of the workshop is to introduce team leaders and mentors, and to discuss water rocketry praxis, emphasizing our motto “design with safety in mind.” The workshop includes hands-on activities, specifically the construction and launching of some simple water rockets.
Students of Worcester, are you the next Robert Goddard?
Fire up your fellow students, assemble a team of rocket scientists, bombard your science teacher until she or he registers! Come have a blast-off and launch your summer in style! And hey, it really is rocket science.
Team Leaders, if you must, ground your teams with excitement!
Team leaders are invited to attend the rocketry workshop. If you would like to attend the workshop, or take advantage of our mentoring resources, make sure to check-mark these activities when you register!
Want to be a mentor?
If you are a WPI science/engineering student or faculty member and would like to mentor a group of young rocket scientists, send an email to Jackie at jmalone@wpi.edu.
Want to be a judge?
If you are a WPI student, staff or faculty member, and would like to serve as a judge or as a member of field staff on rocket day, send email to Jackie at jmalone@wpi.edu.
Maintained by webmaster@wpi.eduLast modified: March 31, 2008 08:25:00