NPL Water Rocket Challenge
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NPL Water Rocket Challenge
NPL
Download film (right-click)Adult , Documentary , Engineering , Make & Do , Physics , Primary , Secondary
25th June 2008 — the National Physical Laboratory’s Water Rocket Challenge. Expect to get wet.
Director's Notes:
On 25th June 2008 the National Physical Laboratory in Teddington, Middlesex, is staging its annual Water Rocket Challenge. This trailer, shot at the 2007 event, gives you an idea of what to expect:
Rockets. Water. That sort of thing.
If that sounds like your receptacle of infused beverage — and of course it does, right? — head over to the Water Rocket Challenge site for copies of the rules and the application form.
Also there, you’ll find an excellent guidebook to get you started with designing and building your own rockets, and understanding the physics of what happens when they tumble uncontrollably and smash through your neighbour’s greenhouse. Oops.
SciCast Notes:
Believe it or not, the staff at SciCast Orbiting World Headquarters have built more water rocket-powered cars than they have, well, water rockets. One of the cars was powerful enough that you could sit on it, and it’d shove you along at up to about 20mph.
So, yes, we love water rockets. There’s something profoundly satisfying about blasting things across a playing field, especially when it’s coupled with the moment of sheer terror when you’re not quite certain which direction anything’s going to go.
We love this film, too. The ‘epic’ opening shot is just lovely — deep cinematic cheese, a class act — and the whole thing is edited together wonderfully. Watching it, I found myself hoping and hoping for a shot taken from one of the rockets, and then… well, you’ll have to watch the film yourself.
Great stuff.
— Jonathan.