Maker Space - Rocket Ship Workshop Update

Our future astronauts, aeronautical engineers, and designers in TK, K, and 1st Grade Maker Space, have been hard at work in the Rocket Production Lab these last two weeks.

Using recycled textile thread tubes as first stage boosters, textile spindles as nose cones, plastic straws as launch escape towers, and corrugated plastic for fins, they've created a variety of rocket ship designs that have had to meet critical rocket design requirements. Each rocket component has been installed while the team discusses its function, and rationale:

No nose cone has been left unturned:

- Nose cones have been securely fastened to the upper first stage

- for astronaut safety!

- Launch escape towers have been securely attached to nose cones in case of first stage booster failure!

- Rocket fins have been securely fastened to the first stage booster, in a symmetrical pattern for proper balance during flight trajectory!

- Rocket fins are aerodynamic and consistent in design!

- All rockets are cool, and fun to play with! Mission control knows it has a hit project when the team gets as excited as this one did. All that is left is to verify the center of gravity for each rocket, and install engines for final countdown and launch: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, blastoff

The conversion of rocket ships to rocket arms - was very profound. Students see the
resemblance to an arm, the appropriate scale for their arm to fit, and add some imagination,
and presto - a rocket arm! Look for rocket-boy and rocket-girl costume designs, soon to
come...