World's Largest Bottle Rocket


My wife and I were fortunate to witness the launch of the world's largest bottle rocket on the Fourth of July. I must confess that I was stunned by the enormous amount of energy that is experienced during the launch. It was so surreal, it felt like I was watching an animated movie rather than experiencing a man-made miracle. The only thing I can compare it to is watching a 12-story building suddenly lift off the ground and head to into low Earth orbit... which means that I can't compare it to anything.

Another astounding aspect of the shuttle launch is the complexity of systems that work together; it truly is an engineering marvel. The space shuttle is often called "the most complex machine ever built by mankind".

Here are some facts that may help you understand what a space shuttle launch entails:
  • A Space Shuttle and its boosters ready for launch are the same height as the Statue of Liberty but weigh almost three times as much.
  • The Space Shuttle's solid rocket boosters burn 10 tons of propellant per second!
  • Space shuttles are the "world's first reusable spacecraft." All of the components are reused except for the external fuel tank, which burns up in the atmosphere after launch.
You can continue reading more about the Space Shuttle Program.

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