Our build a Rocket activity is a hugely enjoyable learning session, making and flying pop-bottle rockets from 2 litre cylindrical (not square) fizzy drink bottles. Our age guide for this activity is 7 to 12 years of age. We also have a quicker and simpler, carboard rocket, version of this activity that is popular with visiting schools who would also like a star show in the Planetarium as part of a day visit.

This activity can be taken into schools by planetarium staff or can be organised at Wynyard Woodland Park - a large open area (preferably a field) is required to launch the rockets. We include this activity annually as an event in the summer for the general public - booking for this event is always essential as places are limited.

The activity lasts about three hours, involves cutting both plastic & cardboard with fairly sharp scissors and taping with “gaffa tape”, all of which involves a certain amount of manual dexterity that makes it unsuitable for younger children. When the event is held at the park we make use of the railway carriage to make the rockets and we fly them in the Arboretum Field. Rockets are launched using our own patent rocket launcher which uses compressed air at 80 to 90 PSI to fly the rockets to a height of about 350 feet - seeing is believing! Click on the image above or the menu item on the left-hand side to watch a video of the event; please note that this requires Adobe FlashPlayer to be installed as a plug-in to your web-browser in order to watch.