The HUB joined a number of exhibitors at this year’s STEAMfest, organized by the Boys and Girls of Larimer County.
Our booth was busy all day as kids stopped in to build their own paper rockets and get the chance to fire them into (space) with the HUB’s own air pressure rocket launcher.
The rocket launcher was located at the far end of the parking lot so as not to bother the other exhibitors at the STEAMfest. A rather large dog is shown here guarding the firing mechanism, the bicycle pump, and the rather fanciful launchpad.
Kids learned that it took a little work to pump the pressure launcher to the required 20psi. Note the guy in the white lab coat and hard hat was available to help out.
The launch mechanism was built with PVC pipes purchased from the local Habitat Resale Store. Total cost: $4.20 plus about an hour rummaging through the boxes of PVC connectors. The final design is dictated by the available parts found at the resale store.
The Launch Pad with PVC pressure launcher; Base and gears made with scrap lumber.