How to Run the Space Derby
 

• Personnel Needed
• Constructing and Operating Rockets
• Sample Program
• Sample Rules
• Sample Procedures
• Flight Tips
• Special Space Derby Events

Personnel Needed

Program Committee

• Plan an opening ceremony, such as a ribbon-cutting.
• Handle all aspects of awards (decorated platform, signs, tables, trophies, ribbons, medals, etc.)
• Plan for crowd control.
• String pennants for decoration.
• Secure public-address system or bull horns, if needed.

Inspection Team

• Check entries for use of official materials.
• Mark a number on each rocket.
• Act as judges for craftsmanship award and other special awards. Report winners to program committee.

Registration Team

• Enter rocket numbers and boys' name on a preliminary heat sheet.
• List heat winners on semifinal sheets.
• Determine final standing of each rocket and report results to program committee for presentation of awards.

Flight Operations Team

• Have two starters with green flags.
• Have two judges with checkered flags.
• Have two gatekeepers to line up boys.
• Set up the space derby raceway.
• Report preliminary winners and final winners to registration team.

Constructing and Operating Rockets

The official space derby kit includes all necessary materials and instructions for building. Decorate the rocket with bright colors. Apply decals furnished in the kit.

Tips for rocket builders:

• Reduce air friction or "drag" by making all surfaces as smooth as possible. A blunt, rounded nose causes less drag than a sharp nose. A good design has all leading edges rounded and trailing edges tapered to reduce the drag.
• Rubber bands should be lubricated before the race. They are the "motor" and must be strong and flexible.
• Use a sharp knife for cutting the grooves for the hanger fitting and fins. A dull knife will crush and splinter the balsa wood.
• When you start to carve, remember that the end with the small hose is the rocket nose.
• A potato peeler is good for carving the shape.
• To help increase the rocket's spped reduce the wall thikcness to a minimum of 1/8 inch. Do not weaken the area around the hanger (carrier) or carve away the nose button circle.
• Do not apply too much apint to the outside unless you sand between each coat.
• Be careful not to get glue on the plastic carrier, especially in the holes through which the monofilament line runs. Glue can interfere with smooth operation.
• Make the propeller shaft as short as possible by bending it close to the prop. Cut off the excess wire with wire cutters.
• Test the rocket's balance by hanging it from a string through the hole of the hanger fitting. If the rocket is nose-heavy, carve or sand a little wood off of the end. It it's tail-heavy, remove wood from the tail area.

Dens may wish to secure a 100-foot length of 50-pound monofilament fishing line for test runs in the backyard before the derby. Tie the line to a tree or post and string the rocket carrier on it. Tie the other end to a tree about 100 feet away. Make the line as tight as possible.

Sample Space Derby Program

• 7:00 Inspection and registration of rockets.
• 7:30 Opening ceremony.
• 7:45 Cut ribbon and start heats. Award ribbons and other prizes to heat winners during the running of the derby.
• 8:30 Recognition ceremony. Recognize champions; then make advancement awards.
• 8:45 Closing ceremony.

Sample Space Derby Rules

all rockets must pass the following inspection to qualify for the race:

• Only basic materials supplied in the kit may be used.
• The rocket body may be no longer than 7 inches, not including the propeller and fins.
• There are no restrictions on the weight or design of the rocket.

Space Derby Procedure

1. Every boy brings his rocket to the inspection table to have his entry checked and numbered.
2. Then he goes to the registration table where his name and rocket's number are entered on a heat sheet.
3. Contestants report to the gatekeepers, who line them up in the order in which they will compete. At this point, each boy starts to wind the rubber-band motor of his ship.
4. As his name is called, the boy hooks his rocket on the guideline assigned to him, centering the rocket between the vertical dowels and locking the propeller behind the horizontal dowel on the starting gate.
5. The gatekeeper starts the countdown and fires at zero by lifting the starting gate frame, which releases the rockets.
6. The race is run in heats, up to four contestants at a time. Each boy gets to try at least twice instead of being eliminated from competition from after the first race. For example, in a six-boy den, try heats of three boys each. The winner of each heat goes into the den finals. Then race the other four again with the winner competing with the other heat winners for the den championship and entry into the pack finals.
7. The winner takes his rocket to the registration table for recording, then to the awards platform for recognition. He then returns to the spectator area to wait until his name is called again.
8. Run as many quarter-final and semifinal heats a necessary to determine the contestants for the final.
9. As ships are eliminated, make sure the contestants are applauded for their efforts.

Tips for Preparing for Flight

• Lubricate the rubber bands before the derby. This prolongs the bands' life and power and will help reduce the possibility of breaking during the competition. They can be soaked overnight in castor oil. Or mix two parts green soap, one part glycerin, and one part water and rub the mixture on the rubber band about an hour before racing.
• Have extra boxes of rubber bands on hand. Remember, it takes three rubber bands to fly each ship properly.
• Experienced rocket racers "warm up" their space ships by gradually winding the rubber band motor to its full capacity-first 50 turns, then 100, then 200, etc. Release the propeller between each winding.
• A small hand drill is excellent for winding rubber bands. It also helps speed up the event. Check the ratio of the drill by making one revolution of the crank handle and cout the number of times the chuck turns. Most drills average a one-to-four ratio, thus it would take 40 turns of the crank to give 160 winds on the rubber-band motor. When using the hand drill winder, it's best for one person to hold the rocket and propeller while another stretches the bands about 12 to 15 inches beyond the rocket tail and turns the rubber bands, he gradually shortens the distance between him and the rocket.
• For a more evenly matched race, wind all rocket motors the same number of turns. For 100-foot launch lines, 150 to 170 winds should be sufficient.

Special Space Derby Events

• Speed. First rocket to reach the finish line wins.
• Endurance. Last rocket to reach the finish line wins.
• Relay. Use two or more guidelines. Boys form teams of twos. The first boy releases his rocket, and as soon as it reaches the other end of the line, his teammate removes it, rewinds it, puts it back on the guideline, and releases it. The first rocket to return wins.
• Altitude. String a guideline which is about 12 inches from the ground at the starting line and 5 feet at the finsh line. Gradually, raise the high end of the line until all rockets have been eliminated. The one which climbed the highest wins.
• Just For Fun. Have rockets break balloons at the finsh line. Do this by inserting several straight pins through a piece of cardboard. suspend the cardboard from the finish line and place a balloon in front of the pins. The rocket will drive the balloon into the pins.