Rocket Science: What Fin and Fin Placement Is Optimal for a Rocket's Altitude?

Overview

Objectives/Goals The objective of this experiment is to determine which fin and fin placement combination is most optimal for a rocket's altitude. Methods/Materials Inclinometers, air pressure launcher, two rocket body tubes and cones, various fin shapes, varying placements were used. Rockets were launched with different fins and fin placements and the altitude was measured with the use of inclinometers. Results The average altitudes were compared with each varying fins and placements. The rectangular four-finned, parallelogram four-finned, and elliptical three-finned appeared to be the most optimal for altitude. Conclusions/Discussion Most of the four-finned rockets performed more superior compared to the three-finned rockets. With the swept shape of the parallelogram, this fin type executed a higher altitude when collated with the outcomes. Combined together, the parallelogram four-finned rocket's stability with greater amount of fins and its lower drag with the shape appear to be the most aerodynamic fin and placement for altitude.

Competition history

• CSEF 2018 Aerodynamics/ Hydrodynamics (Junior Division Only) · Entry J0118

Resources

• CSEF project summary ↗

Related projects

Closest projects by meaning, across every fair and year in the corpus.

Browse more like this

• All Physics and Astronomy projects
• CSEF Physics and Astronomy projects
• Every CSEF 2018 project