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rockets

Investigating rockets – introduction

Article

Investigating rockets – introduction

Rocket science includes ideas of forces and motion, how rockets work and some of the challenges for those wanting to ...

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Aotearoa New Zealand in space – an introduction

Article

Aotearoa New Zealand in space – an introduction

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to work in the space sector? It goes way beyond astronauts and rockets and it’s growing fast! ...

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Kiwis in space

Article

Kiwis in space

This Connected article explores the science and technology behind the amazing achievements of Rocket Lab. From New Zealand’s first launch of a rocket into space in ...

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Rocket Lab

Article

Rocket Lab

When we first met Sir Peter Beck in 2010, his company Rocket Lab (formed in 2006) had not long achieved New Zealand’s first launch of a ...

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Investigating rockets – key terms

Article

Investigating rockets – key terms

Taking science and technology to new heights. Rocket science includes ideas of forces and motion, how rockets work and some of the challenges for those wanting ...

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Mark Rocket

Article

Mark Rocket

Position: CEO Kea Aerospace. Entrepreneur, Avatar, NZS.com. Former director, Rocket Lab. Field: Investing in New Zealand technology. Mark Rocket is an internet entrepreneur and space enthusiast. ...

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Avinash Rao

Article

Avinash Rao

Position: CEO at Argo Navis Aerospace. Field: Electronics and rocket control systems. When we first met Avinash Rao he was a PhD student investigating rocket control ...

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Sir Peter Beck

Article

Sir Peter Beck

Position: CEO and technical director, Rocket Lab Field: Rocket engineering Sir Peter Beck is CEO and technical director of Rocket Lab, a New Zealand rocket technology ...

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Calculating rocket acceleration

Article

Calculating rocket acceleration

How does the acceleration of a model rocket compare to the Space Shuttle? By using the resultant force and mass, acceleration can be calculated. A model ...

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Hypersonic vehicles

Article

Hypersonic vehicles

Hypersonic vehicles are perhaps a dream of the future, but if they have a chance of happening, research is important to develop materials that will handle ...

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Getting rockets into space

Article

Getting rockets into space

Rockets launched into space can be suborbital (brief visit to space) or orbital (staying in motion around the Earth) or can escape Earth’s gravity to travel ...

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Types of chemical rocket engines

Article

Types of chemical rocket engines

Chemical rocket engines use a fuel (something to burn) and an oxidiser (something to react with the fuel). Together, they are referred to as the propellant. ...

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Rocket aerodynamics

Article

Rocket aerodynamics

Rocket aerodynamics is the study of how air flows over a rocket and how this affects drag and stability. The nose cone and fins of a ...

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Rockets and mass

Article

Rockets and mass

The mass of a rocket is important for two reasons – an object with less mass accelerates more quickly, and an object with more mass has ...

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Rockets and thrust

Article

Rockets and thrust

What is a rocket pushing against to make it start moving? Is it pushing against the ground? The air? The flames? Final launch of Space Shuttle ...

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Lift-off

Article

Lift-off

A rocket will launch and keep speeding up as long as the force pushing it upwards (thrust) is greater than the forces pulling and pushing it ...

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Materials for hypersonic vehicles

Article

Materials for hypersonic vehicles

Dr Susan Krumdieck from the University of Canterbury is helping to develop new materials for possible future hypersonic vehicles that travel 10 times the speed of ...

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Rocket control

Article

Rocket control

University of Canterbury PhD students Malcolm Snowdon and Avinash Rao are developing flight control systems for rockets. They use electronic sensors to measure any changes in ...

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New Zealand’s first space launch

Article

New Zealand’s first space launch

Rocket Lab launched New Zealand’s first rocket designed to reach space in 2009. Their goal in launching the rocket, was to develop and showcase innovative technology ...

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Investigating rockets – question bank

Article

Investigating rockets – question bank

An inquiry approach is a method often used in science education. The question bank provides an initial list of questions about rockets and places where their ...

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Brief history of rockets – timeline

Article

Brief history of rockets – timeline

This timeline looks at some of the historical aspects of rockets – taking science and technology to new heights. 1232 – Chinese fire arrows The first ...

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Investigating rocket motion

Activity

Investigating rocket motion

In this activity, students investigate the motion of a rocket using a spreadsheet with graphs of motion included. They adjust variables and investigate how height and ...

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Rocket launch challenge

Activity

Rocket launch challenge

Your challenge is to make the rocket go as high as possible and launch a payload 400 km above the ground. You can change rocket parameters ...

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Water bottle rockets

Activity

Water bottle rockets

In this activity, students make a water bottle rocket. They investigate the variables that affect the height and distance travelled by the rocket. Geoff Searle, Head ...

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