SNOHOMISH — It was rocket science here on Friday.
Fifth graders at Cathcart Elementary School competed to see if they could build better rockets than a team of scientists from Aerojet Rocketdyne, a rocket and missile propulsion manufacturer.
“I’ve never met a real, live rocket scientist before,” said Jocelyn Camacho, 11. “I’m thinking that’s pretty cool.”
The Redmond-based Aerojet scientists brought in rocket motors to show students. They talked about working on major projects, such as NASA’s Space Shuttle and Orion, the next generation of spacecraft designed to take humans further than ever before.
The scientists explained how force can be used to accelerate mass. The students then applied that knowledge, building rockets from PVC pipe and using compressed air to launch them.
Students had to work within an imaginary budget of $1 million to buy parts, build their rocket and pay to launch it. Teams had to learn to manage with less money and time than they would have liked to complete their mission.
Lexie Ross, 10, said budgeting the team’s money was tough.
“It didn’t work out very well,” she said.
After they had the parts, students had an hour to design and build the rockets. The goal was for the rocket to be able to hit a target 160 feet away from the launch pad.
Some students, however, had an easier time with construction than others.
“I got my both of my fingers stuck in the tube,” said Knox Rutherford, 10. “They had to pour soap down the tube to get them out.”
The teams could buy one or two launches for their rockets. The Aerojet scientists, however, had to do both launches in order to level the playing field a bit.
“It’s hard,” said Elli Austin, 10. “We’re competing against real rocket scientists.”
The Aerojet team also took the competition seriously, working feverishly through the hour they had to build their rocket.
“We’re not afraid we’re going to lose,” said Kim Wierenga, an Aerojet program manager. “But if we do, we hope they become rocket scientists. The next astronauts are in elementary school today.”
The Aerojet team included mission assurance engineer John Robinson, 51; manufacturing engineer Rob Dooley, 49; chief engineer Dave Krismer, 50; project engineer Ron Portz, 49, and Wierenga, at 45, the “youngest” member.
“I was hoping the rocket scientists’ would blow up,” said Heather Combs, one of the six parents who volunteered to help students during the competition.
Although the Aerojet team built a successful rocket on the first try, a team of students known as the “Astroblasters” launched a rocket that got closer to the target.
“But the rocket scientists can keep their jobs because they got close to the target,” said fifth-grade teacher Carrie Henderson.
About 60 students competed on 12 teams to against the scientists. Each team designated an assembly technician, a design engineer, a project manager, a safety controller and a test pilot.
Some teams built successful rockets on the first launch while others learned from failed flights. On the second try, the Aerojet team blew their launch but student teams improved with experience, said contest organizer David Rogers.
Rogers’ daughter Adeline, 11, is in fifth grade at Cathcart. His business, DR-Science Assemblies, works to get more science, technology, engineering and math programs into schools, particularly at lower grade levels. The competition cost the school $200.
“Even though it’s a crazy day, it’s worth it because the kids are so excited,” Henderson said.
Amy Nile: 425-339-3192; anile@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @AmyNileReports
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