Model Rocket Quiz

You can buy one for a little more than 10 dollars, but can you fly one? See how high your model rocketry smarts will take you with this quiz.

Quiz text by Jonathan Atteberry, HowStuffWorks.com

When and where did the first documented use of a rocket take place?

400 B.C. in Italy

1232 A.D. in China

1550 in Germany

1642 in England

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While ancient writings indicate that a Greek, named Archytas, invented a steam-propelled "pigeon" that ran along a guide wire, the first true rockets were invented in China more than 1,000 years later.

What event sparked model rocketry's rise in popularity in the United States?

American physicist Robert Goddard's successful experiments with rocketry in the early 20th century

The 1938 radio broadcast of "The War of the Worlds"

The Soviet Union’s 1957 launch of Sputnik 1

Apollo 11’s successful voyage to the surface of the moon in 1969

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As the space race geared up with the launch of Sputnik 1, so did America's interest in model rocketry. Today, many U.S. scientists and engineers credit early experiences with model rocketry as the inspiration for their career paths.

What significant innovation greatly improved the safety of early amateur rockets, leading to the invention of model rockets?

Solid-fuel rocket engines

Long, high-quality fuses

Metallic, fireproof fuselages

Rounded, "safety" nose cones

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Liquid propellants, while extremely powerful, are much more difficult and dangerous to work with than solid propellants. The invention of a safe, reliable solid-fuel rocket engine by Orville Carlisle drastically reduced the number of injuries resulting from rocket launches.

To be considered a model rocket, a rocket must meet which of the following requirements?

No metal fuselages, nose cones or fins

A total weight of less than 1,500 grams

Less than 125 grams of fuel

All of the above

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Model rockets meet all those requirements, and they're safe to use by people of all ages largely because they're designed for relatively low altitude flights. "High power rockets" and amateur rockets, on the other hand, have fewer restrictions. Accordingly, agencies like the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), as well as state and local authorities highly regulate their sale and flight.

How many model rockets are estimated to have been launched in the United States since 1957?

125 million

250 million

500 million

1 billion

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Over the decades, enthusiasts have launched 500 million model rockets, and yet there has never been a single death resulting from their use, making model rocketry one of the safest outdoor hobbies around.

Which of the following is included with every model rocket sold in the United States?

A copy of the National Association of Rocketry safety codes

A payload section

Balsa wood fins

A parachute

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Short or tall, whimsical or realistic; model rockets come in nearly every variety imaginable. The only thing you can be sure to find in your model rocketry kit is a copy of the NAR safety codes, a list of common sense rules designed to keep injuries to a minimum.

Which of the following is NOT a safety feature found in modern model rockets?

Fireproof wadding that helps the rocket to avoid combusting in flight

Heat-resistant paint and decals that keep rockets from starting fires upon landing

Streamers, parachutes and other recovery systems that stop rockets from falling to the ground at high speeds

Electronic ignition systems, which prevent users from using fuses and flames to launch rockets

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Model rockets have several safety features that keep injuries to a minimum while making them easy to launch and recover, but they simply don’t get hot enough to warrant heat-resistant paint and decals.

Which of the following features can't be included on a model rocket?

Multistage engines that launch sequentially throughout a flight

Payloads capable of carrying small objects into flight

Cameras or other hard objects mounted to the rocket body

All of these features can be found on model rockets.

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As long as rockets meet the required specifications for model rocketry, they can include any of the features above. However, rockets capable of carrying payloads should never contain animals.

How fast can a model rocket fly?

55 miles per hour

120 miles per hour

170 miles per hour

More than 200 miles per hour

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Model rockets can generate tremendous speeds of more than 200 miles per hour, thanks to their engines and lightweight, aerodynamic shapes.

According to the U.S. Model Rocket Sporting Code, how many different events can model rocket enthusiasts enter at each competition?

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Twenty-seven different model rocketry events test participants across a wide variety of challenges. Flight time, height, landing accuracy and even research and development are just some of the categories of competition.

Earthbound

If you ever want to get off the ground, you'd better start studying up on rocketry. Otherwise, be ready for a failure to launch.

Steady Flier

Way to go! You’ve had a successful launch, and you're flying high. A little more work and you’ll be reaching the stratosphere.

Rocketman

Out of sight! The only thing flying higher than your model rocket is your score on this quiz.

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