Resources

So you want to know everything there is to know about model rocketry? You may be sorry you asked. For such a small hobby, the practitioners are typically very intelligent and very proficient at producing information on the topic. So get ready to dive into a very large pile of rocket science.

Certification Resources

Hobbyists who wish to fly Class H and above rocket motors are required to obtain a Level 1, 2, or 3 high-power certification through the NAR or Tripoli. Many of our members hold a high-power certification.

State and Federal Regulations

There are numerout laws and regulations that cover rocketry. As you delve further into the hobby, it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with some of them.

California Code of Regulations

Federal Regulations

Books and Publications

If you are new to model rocketry or want the refresh your memory before diving back in, there are many resources available to you. The book many consider to be the "bible" of model rocketry, and the official handbook of the National Association of Rocketry is the Handbook of Model Rocketry by G. Harry and Bill Stine.

Another excellent book to add to your library is Model Rocket Design and Construction by Tim Van Milligan. If you like SARG member Gina Gibson's exotic rocket designs, then this is the book for you as Tim covers some unique building techniques.

If you want to take your knowlege of rocketry to the highest level, then Topics in Advanced Model Rocketry is what you are looking for. The popular rocketry software program Rocksim was designed using this book.

If you plan to enter the world of high-power rocketry, don't start your journey before picking up a copy of Modern High-Power Rocketry 2. Author Mark Canepa gives you step by step instructions on building a level 1, 2, and 3 high-power model rocket.

Other books include:

Another source of printed material are bookets covering specific topics. Estes offers downloadable pdf files of its publications for free. Apogee Components continues the tradition of offering technical publications.

The Theoretical Prediction of the Center of Pressure by James and Judith Barrowman

Centuri and Estes Technical Publications

Estes and Centuri, two of model rocketry's pioneer manufacturers, produced technical reports and notes in the 1970s. Copies can fetch a pretty penny on eBay, but you can download them free from here:

Centuri

Estes

NASA

Other

Rocketry Software

All of the caculations described in the above literature has been bundled up in software programs that allow the hobbyist to design a model rocket on the computer. Here some of the available programs:

  • Rocksim - RockSim is a full featured rocket design and simulation program from Apogee Components. It comes bundled with Engine Editor, which is used to create engine files.
  • Open Rocket - The newest of the lot with the perfect price - free! The latest build allows the import of Rocksim files.
  • SpaceCAD - Less sophisticated than Rocksim, but some hobbyists prefer it. SpaceCAD uses wRASP format files.
  • Burnsim - BurnSim is a solid rocket steady-state ballistic simulation software package for the Windows platform.
  • Visual Center of Pressure - is a free Center of Pressure/Center of Gravity stability calculator for Windows.
  • WinRoc - a popular suite of rocketry programs, with a nice graphical user interface.
  • AeroFinSim - a structural analysis program, it determines how strong the fins are by determining the aerodynamic fin loads.
  • Thrust Curve Tool - designed to analyze rocket motor thrust data and to produce standard ‘.eng’ files for use with flight simulators such as wRASP and Rocksim.

Internet

The internet offers a huge selection of resouces about model rocketry. Many model rocket hobbyists post how to articles on building and videos or their triumphs (and disasters). Here is a sampling of some:

General How to Sites