UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS - 1992

It's that time once again. The Regional Student Conference is rapidly approaching and you don't want to be left out of the fun and exciting design competition this year. In past years, the competition has been stiff, and it shall be again this year.

The challenge this year is to design, build, and test, using a 2-liter plastic soda pop bottle, a rocket that uses a combination of pressurized air and water for propulsion. The competition will consist of launching your rocket at a circular target 10 feet in diameter at a distance of 150 to 200 feet. The rocket that hits closest to the target wins. In case of a tie, if the rockets are still intact, they will be refired with the air pressure and/or distance to target changed. The launcher will be provided by the host student section.

Only one rocket per school will be allowed to enter the actual competition, but you may bring as many as you like.

Feel free to decorate or adorn your rocket as you see fit, but all loose items must be removed prior to the launch.

If any school would like to have a more detailed drawing of the launcher, please give call Thomas Holt, Design Competition Chairperson, at 501-575-6737.

Have fun, and we shall see you soon.

Design Competition Rules:

Please refer to the enclosed drawing of the launcher and note the following rules:

1. The neck of the bottle must remain intact and unaltered. The flange and the mouth of the bottle are used to hold the rocket while pressurizing
2. The rocket will be launched using a launching rod that inserts into the bottle through the throat. Therefore, the interior of the bottle must not be modified in any way. 
3. The rocket will be launched using air and water pressurized to no greater than ¶ 50 psi. (The bare bottle will hold about 150 psi) Additionally, it will be launched from between 150 feet and 200 feet from the target at an angle of 45 degrees. The target is 10 feet in diameter. These ranges and limitations will not be exceeded: even in the case of a tie breaking shot.
4. Any fins or other attachments must not extend any lower than 1.5 in. from the mouth of the bottle. This is so that the bottle will fit onto the launcher.

That's it! That's all there is to this exciting competition. There are a few things to remember though:

1. Plain bottles are very unstable.
2. The initial acceleration is great enough to rip off casually attached articles. So please, in the interest of safety, make sure all attachments (e.g. fins) are securely affixed to the rocket.
3. Try to make the design durable enough for two or three launches. This allows for a reshoot in case of a tie.
4. BE CAREFUL! In testing these rockets to determine failure pressure, if you elect to do so. Pieces of plastic can fly off at high speeds creating a serious safety hazard.
5. You should design your bottle to contain a maximum of 200 psi. This allows for pressurization error during the launching process.

If there are any questions at the ASME Student Section office, University of Arkansas.

Design Competition Rules:

Well, it had been hoped that all problems had been covered in the Design Contest Update, however, it proved to confuse some of the rules being used.

This letter is to notify all sections competing in the design competition of the rules that will be used. There may be more rules listed than before, but mostly they are clarifications of questions raised by various sections over the past month.

Here are the rules that will be used in the competition:

1. All bottles used in the competition will be two (2) liter soda pop bottles made of plastic. No one- or three-liter bottles will be allowed. Glass bottles will not be allowed.
2. The neck of the bottle must remain intact and unaltered. The flange and the mouth of the bottle are used to hold the rocket while pressurizing it.
3. The interior of the bottle may not be modified in any way due to the launcher design. No interior modifications will be allowed, even if the changes do not interfere with the launch rod.
4. The rockets will be launched using air and water pressurized to no greater than 150 psi. How much water you put in is up to you. The water will be supplied and no additives may be used in the water.
5. The rocket will be fired at a 10-foot diameter target, which is laid out on the ground. The initial shot will be not less than 150 feet and not more than 200 feet from the target. In case of a tie breaking shot, the launcher will moved to another location within the specified 50 foot range.
6. In the event of a high rate of accuracy on the first and succeeding shots, the target will be reduced in size to hasten the finalization of the competition. This will be a last resort change only. The target will always be at least one-foot in diameter in the event of any change.
7. The initial rocket firing will be at an angle of 45 degrees for all rockets. In case of a tie breaking shot, the angle will be changed to another predetermined angle, not 45 degrees. This is the only angle change that will be made, unless another tie breaking shot is required.
8. Any fins or attachments must be securely attached. Any loose items on the rocket must be removed before launch.
9. Any fins or attachments may not extend lower than 1.5 inches from the mouth of the bottle, measured vertically from the mouth.
10. Only one bottle may be used for the competition. Once a rocket has been presented and approved for competition, it may not be switched or altered for any reason except by unanimous consent of the judges. For example, if the rocket explodes upon landing, you will have to rely on that shot to determine your placement in the competition.

Well, that should cover just about everything that has been asked in the past few weeks. These rules will be adhered to as strictly as possible, but in the case of any questions, we reserve the right to disallow a rocket to be fired if there is any possibility of safety of anyone in the area being compromised.

All entries will be allowed one practice shot before the competition begins. This shot will not be scored. In the case of a tie breaking shot, no practice shot will be allowed.

The winner of the competition will be the rocket that lands closest to the center of the target. In the event of a second shot or more, the combined distance to the target will be used to determine the winners.