Welcome back to camp liftoff! It was a pleasure of having you here yesterday! Today is going to be the camps first launch located at 60 acres park.
Part 1
We started the day off with a guest speaker! Thank you to Mr. Shah, a licensed pilot from Texas who took the time to talk to us today. It was a great time asking him questions about his Cessna plane as well as how pilots operate.
The students had learned:
- The differences between a plane and a rocket by using physics. Planes use lift, and rockets use thrust.
- The physics of a plane wing.
- How to get a pilots license (as well as how long it took).
- the procedure on the training course of pilots.
- How pilots were able to use math to locate where they were at (this was before GPS and was called triangulation).
- What inspired him to become a pilot.
Again, we are honored and thankful that Mr. Shah chose to come visit today. After the presentation, the students finished up their mini model rockets with guidance from Keito and Shaurya as well as the other instructors providing one on one help to those who needed it.
Breaktime!
Using epoxy, in case you didn’t know causes big messes to those who have not learned to use it properly. So the clean up, we Ishaan had led the students outside for a quick 15 minute round of duck-duck-goose, Followed by all the coaches once the area was clean.
Part 2
The students were led back into the classroom after burning off some energy, and started to take their laptops out. The instructors then helped each student create an Onshape account. Onshape is a CAD (computer-aided-design) software, which allows the easy creation of the designing 3D printed components.
With Shaurya and Ishaan as the main teachers, the students were able to learn:
- How 3D printing works.
- How a 3D printer uses plastic to create a replica of the design in the software.
- What infill is.
- What supports are and used for.
- How to sketch, extrude, and use the dimension tool (cm).
What a fun day today was… But don’t wait! There’s more.
Launch!!!
Remember the mini rockets that the students were making? Well right after today’s camp session, the students went to 60 acres to launch those rockets. The highest rockets went around 1500 feet. While some of them exploded, but in a fun firework exciting way. For the next few weeks, these engineers are going to design full size rockets that we use in the national rocketry competitions.
