UTA - Soda-Pop Bottle-Rocket Design Competition Rules

Welcome to the UTA Soda-Pop Bottle-Rocket Design Competition. The Challenge is to design, build, and fly a Soda-Pop Bottle-Rocket (SPRocket) starting with a two (2) liter plastic soda-pop bottle. Thrust will be provided by a combination of compressed air and water. The University of Texas at Arlington student section of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) together with the UTA Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) Department will host the competition and provide the necessary launch facilities. The SPRocket which lands closest to a target placed between 100 and 200 feet from the launcher will be declared the overall winner.

In addition to an overall winner, awards will be made for Best-Appearance. Wildest-Flight, Worst-Fizzle-Out, and We're -All-Amazed (that the thing made it that far).

•  Each entry will be allowed two launches (if it is still in one piece after the first launch!) After everyone has launched twice, the 10 entries that landed closest to the bull's-eye" will meet for a final fly-off. Clearly, a durable and aerodynamically stable design will be needed. To become a finalist, the SPRocket must be structurally sound and safe. Therefore, all attachments should be properly secured to withstand both launch and landing forces. Teams should bring repair tools and materials to the contest! In order to win, it will also be necessary to predict the volume of water that should be placed in the bottle as well as the inclination and azimuth angles needed to fly the proper distance to the target.
  
  
• Rocket Motor - A two (2) liter plastic soda-pop bottle must be used. Almost any brand may be used, except that in order to properly fit on the launcher, the neck must be identical to that on bottles used by Coca-Cola. The interior of the bottle must remain completely unaltered. All pressure reinforcing and attachments such as fins, nose-cone, etc., must be affixed by glue (e,g., hot-glue, rubber cement, silicone) or tape (e.g., 'duct' tape, cellophane tape) to the exterior of the bottle. UTA will provide the launcher with a 60 psi compressed air charge. Entrants will fill their SPRocket motor with the amount of water they deem appropriate.
  
  
• Bottle Modification - An unaltered soda-pop bottle is rated to withstand more than two (2) times the planned 60 psi charge without bursting. However, this much pressure will deform the cylinder, so consideration might be given to reinforcing with a layer of tape or other material. Also, the use of solvent type glues on the plastic shell may weaken it and lead to failure. To achieve an aerodynamically stable design, fins a nose cone, additional nose weight, and other measures might be employed.  No metal will be allowed anywhere in the construction. The edges of fins and other protrusions must be rounded and blunt. A blunt nose with a minimum 3/4 inch radius is required. Also, In order to clear the launcher, no fins or other attachments may extent to within 1-1/2 inches of the bottle opening (see Fig 1). The complete rocket can weigh no more than two (2) pounds before adding the rocket motor water charge. 
  
  
• Safety - All pressurized testing of SPRocket Motors including any powered flights must be accomplished under direct UTA MAE Department supervision.  We will assist by answering questions and helping with any testing that you might want to do. When properly used, SPRockets should not pose a threat of physical injury. However, misapplication of pressure, a faulty bottle shell, an unstable or otherwise dangerous design, an unexpected or premature launch, or other circumstances could create a hazard. The judges reserve the right to refuse to launch a rocket they deem unsafe.
  
  
• Launcher and Target - The Launcher inclination (limited between 35 and 55 degrees from horizontal) and azimuth angles will be set as specified by each competitor. A compressed air charge of 60 psi will be used. Only water may be added to the rocket motor - no chemicals allowed. The target will be placed between 100 and 200 feet down-range from the launcher. The exact distance will be specified by the judges just prior to the competition, and it may be changed between the preliminary and final heats. There will be two heats (two chances for each entry to be launched) with an additional heat for the 10 finalists. The closest initial impact to the bull's-eye out of the 10 finalists will be declared the overall winner. 
  
  
• Launch Sequence - Entrants will fill their Sprockets with the amount of water they believe necessary to generate sufficient thrust in order to fly the exact distance to the target. The UTA Launch Team will then rotate the launcher down, attach the SPRocket, engage the firing pin, reorient the launcher to the azimuth and inclination angles specified by the entrant, initiate a countdown, apply the 60 psi charge at t-minus 3 seconds, and launch at t-minus 0 seconds. 
  
  
• Judging - The judges reserve the right to alter any rule for safety and in the spirit of promoting a good competition. All decisions of the judges will be final.

Have fun! And Good Luck! 

Dear Sir:

The Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) has developed a new program designed to promote mechanical and aerospace engineering at UTA to area high school students. One phase of this recruitment program involves a bottle rocket contest which will be held on October 24, 1992, on the UTA campus. This contest encourages the use of math and basic engineering concepts In the design of a rocket from a 2 liter soda bottle. These rockets will be powered by a combination of compressed air and water and will be launched at a target, 100 to 200 feet away. We are expecting students from 45 area high schools to attend.

The goal of the bottle rocket is to show high school students the UTA campus with emphasis on the mechanical/aerospace engineering. We would like to invite your organization to be a part of this endeavor by being involved in two ways. First, We need volunteers to help the contest run smoothly and to assist in serving lunch or conducting tours. Second, there will be space available for a booth which could be used to explain the activities of your organization. This booth would also give the high school students an opportunity to talk to professional engineers about career choices on a individual level. In order to reserve space for a booth, we are requesting a $50.00 donation to the mechanical engineering department. This money will be used to pay for setting up the booths, awards for the contestants, providing lunch for the volunteers and various other costs associated with this type of project.

The faculty and students at UTA feel there is a need to renew the interest of high school students in math and science and promote the field of engineering as a career. We are hoping this type of program will accomplish this goal by giving these students direct access to the UTA campus, the faculty and students at UTA and professional engineers. Due to the short time period until the contest, we would appreciate your earliest response as to your interest in this event. Please contact David Steele or Melinda Stewart at the phone number(s) given below for further information and to reserve booth space.