Origami Rocket

You can make a real, working rocket from a simple sheet of paper!

The heart of this is a traditional "water bomb" origami model. There are already quite a few Instructables on making the water-bomb, so I simply present the steps as photos.

Turning it into a rocket, though...

The fuel I chose for this project was propane from my blowtorch. It's a happy coincidence that a drinking straw fits down the central delivery tube of my blowtorch. I cut a straw to a spike, and it became a perfect delivery system for injecting fuel into the water bomb through the inflation hole.

I blew in gas for a few seconds, laid the rocket on its side, then applied a match to the hole.

Woosh!

I normally fuel these with methane (natural gas) from my lab gas-taps, so a few rockets went up in flames while I got the fuel-air mix right...

An impressive feature of these rockets in lessons is their size - I can keep a handful in my pocket, inflating them as I need during the lesson, as we discuss the various factors that can influence the distance they scoot across the desk.

smiley G.I JOE says: Nov 1, 2012. 6:14 AM

OK i just did this and for extra measure coated the inside of the paper with heat resistant paint. it didn't work and produced a lot of smoke. though next time i am going to use card stock.

smiley G.I JOE says: Oct 30, 2012. 4:46 PM

i may try this project just for fun but i am wondering will i end up with some thing like this.

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Kiteman (author) in reply to smiley G.I JOEOct 31, 2012. 1:49 AM

Er.... not quite...

iceng says: Jul 12, 2012. 2:23 PM

Very neat working rocket...

I would like to know of any interesting failed projects.

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Kiteman (author) in reply to icengJul 12, 2012. 2:32 PM

Somewhere in the depths of my shed is a failed "Kelvin's Thunderstorm".

Pfarmkid in reply to KitemanSep 25, 2012. 5:31 AM

You should remake it into a non-failure and post it. Kelvin Thunderstorms are pretty cool I think at least I think so know after I Googled it

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Kiteman (author) in reply to PfarmkidSep 25, 2012. 6:31 AM

It's on my list.

However, my list currently has over 200 projects on it...

Pfarmkid in reply to KitemanSep 25, 2012. 6:41 AM

Hmm... Well sounds like a busy day

yapoyo says: Aug 2, 2012. 9:27 PM

(removed by Robert Goddard)

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Kiteman (author) in reply to yapoyoAug 2, 2012. 9:52 PM

Goddard invented the *liquid* fuelled rocket...

yapoyo says: Aug 2, 2012. 9:27 PM

(removed by Robert Goddard)

bajablue says: Jul 13, 2012. 10:32 AM

Who needs fireworks? Genius!!!

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Kiteman (author) in reply to bajablueJul 14, 2012. 3:24 AM

Er, if there are actual flames, something has gone wrong...

bajablue in reply to KitemanJul 14, 2012. 12:49 PM

lol... doncha know? That's the Redneck Way. ;-D

fjordcarver says: Jul 13, 2012. 4:31 PM

Love it, gonna try this sometime soon.

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Kiteman (author) in reply to fjordcarverJul 14, 2012. 3:25 AM

Cool.

l3aca says: Jul 12, 2012. 1:52 PM

Awesome :D, you know, you can also take a butane lighter put it to the hole and hold the button down for about 15 secs then light it, whoosh!

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Kiteman (author) in reply to l3acaJul 12, 2012. 2:01 PM

When you have access to a school lab, the bench gas supply is a lot more convenient.

Nicola Tesla in reply to KitemanJul 12, 2012. 4:21 PM

sneeks into schools science lab during lunch....

freeza36 says: Jul 13, 2012. 7:19 PM

This is awesome. And nice avatar, i like the new background.

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Kiteman (author) in reply to freeza36Jul 14, 2012. 1:35 AM

I like to theme them sometimes.

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mikeasaurus says: Jul 12, 2012. 7:42 PM

This is great!

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Kiteman (author) in reply to mikeasaurusJul 13, 2012. 1:13 AM

Thanks!

MainaMakes says: Jul 12, 2012. 10:50 PM

Rocket???
It is a traditional Origami in my country, Japan, and is named Fusen which means balloon.
It is quite shocking for me to see the name of water bomb.

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Kiteman (author) in reply to MainaMakesJul 13, 2012. 1:13 AM

I'm sorry you're upset, but no offense was meant. In the UK, this has been folded by many generations of schoolboys, who then fill them with water and throw them at each other like a grenade.

Since that has been the primary use of this form for so long, the name has stuck, and English-language origami books refer to the triangular shape in the eighth photo as a "water bomb base".