Design Challenge

2. INSPIRATION – BLOODHOUND SSC WORLD LAND SPEED ATTEMPT
To beat the world land speed
record and to make a car travel
over 1000mph on the ground
involves Bloodhound SSC
engineers solving problems
involving weight, strength,
aerodynamics and forces.
Now you can have a go too.

3. How fast can you make a model rocket car go?
Compete with over 100,000 other S1
students in a national race off to find out!

4. DESIGN BRIEF
DESIGN AND MAKE THE FASTEST
MODEL ROCKET CAR

5. KEY QUESTION: ANALYSIS
WHAT DO WE NEED TO
CONSIDER TO MAKE A
FAST CAR?

6. SAFETY RESTRICTIONS: The Foam Body
You can shape the foam body to
improve aerodynamics and to
reduce the total weight of the car.
The red areas on the diagram
show areas that cannot be cut
into.
These areas hold the safety
guides, a microbit and the rocket
motors and the axles must pass
through them.

7. SAFETY RESTRICTIONS: Accommodating the Guide Wires
A guide wire (or tether) is used in all races for safety reasons. Two
metal eyes extend from the bottom of the foam body that the guide
wire passes through.
Ensure your wheels have sufficient radius to keep the line and the metal
eyes from striking the ground

8. PARTS OF A WHEEL
Rim
Spokes
Hub
You can construct a simple wheel by
cutting a circle from a material such as
thin wood or metal.
You can also construct a wheel by creating
a rim and a hub and connecting them
with spokes like a bicycle wheel.
Design Question:
Will the wheel spin on the axle or will the
wheel and axle spin together?

9. CONSIDERING WEIGHT
The force of the rocket motor (F) is fixed but the
mass (m)of the car is a variable you can control.
The maximum acceleration (a) your car can achieve
is linked to the mass of the car by the following
equation:
QUESTION: What happens to the acceleration if
you decrease the mass?
QUESTION: What is the benefit of lighter wheels?

10. CONSIDERING FRICTION AND AIR RESISTANCE
Friction and air resistance are some
of the opposing forces that will limit
the top speed of your rocket car.
You can use force arrows to show the
size and direction of these forces.
Driving Force
Air Resistance
Friction
Decreasing
opposing forces
increases top
speed.

11. TASK PART 1: Research & Design
Develop a design on paper or using ICT (3D) for your wheels and axles
Research wheel designs. Explain how you will:
• keep the overall weight down
• ensure the wheels are safe and strong
• reduce the effects of air resistance and friction
• select the right tools and materials (think about safety)
• test the wheel

12. TASK PART 2: Build
Construct your wheels
Do you want to create prototypes you can test and
improve?
If you are using tools, how will you keep safe?
If you are using laser cutters or 3D printers do you
have all the time and resources you need?

13. TASK PART 3: Test and Review
Test and review your wheeled vehicle
How can you do a fair test to confirm that your wheels
are high performing?
Can you suggest and make improvements?
Produce a report showing how you developed and
evolved your design. Is there anything you might do
differently? What can you share with other teams to
help develop the most competitive cars for your
school?

14. TASK PART 3: Test and Review – Make a timing gate

15. TASK PART 3: Test and Review – Class Competition