Test Your Engines - Lesson Plan

In this lab, you will guide students through a Static Fire Engine Test, which will yield force data collected over time. When plotted, data will show a Thrust Curve, a standard measure of performance in the rocket industry. By calculating the area under the curve, the total impulse can be determined as well as incremental impulse over any time period. The non-linear character of the Thrust Curve is rich with discussion opportunities for connecting data with observed motion.

Data will be collected by firing the rocket engine in a test rig that safely prevents motion, hence the “static” label, but allows the slight downward motion needed to press down on a force sensor. Repeated data sets can be taken and plotted. Student Thrust Curves are then compared with published Estes curves for the engines used in order to characterize similarities and differences with regard to Total Impulse, Maximum Thrust, Average Thrust, and Thrust Duration.