SCR 5 Moving On!

Preflight Testing: I

1. If your rocket is not stable, it will not fly straight. It will tumble in the air. Tie a string around the middle of the rocket. Adjust it until the rocket hangs level and tape it so that it does not slide. This spot on your rocket is the Center of Gravity. Label it as CG.

CG

2. Carefully swing the rocket around in a circle. Don’t hit anything or anybody!

3. If your rocket is stable, it will eventually turn in the air and point forward.

4. If it does not point forward, the Center of Pressure (CP) is too far forward of the CG. To move the CG forward, put a little weight on the top end of the rocket. To move the CP back, move the fins way to the bottom of the rocket and perhaps make them larger. Experiment.