http://www.teachengineering.org/view_lesson.php?url=collection/cub_/lessons/cub_rockets/cub_rockets_lesson05.xmllessontext/xmlIntegrated Teaching and Learning Program, Newtonmotionrocketthrustweightcontrolprocessdesignre-designtradeoffsBudgetFeasibilityRe-EngineeringTrade-off

In this lesson, students discover the entire process that goes into designing a rocket for any customer. In prior lessons, students learned how rockets work, but now they learn what real-world decisions engineers have to make when designing and building a rocket. They learn about important factors such as supplies, ethics, deadlines and budgets. Also, students learn about the Engineering process, and recognize that the first design is almost never the final design. Re-Engineering is a critical step in creating a rocket.

When designing a rocket, engineers must not only consider how far and fast it needs to go, but also how much it will cost, how safe it will be, how heavy it will be, and what impact it will have on the environment. Very often, the strongest design will be too heavy or too expensive. That is why engineers must often find a compromise that satisfies all the requirements of a project. Engineers also often make several design iterations along the way. This means they design and test a rocket, discover what needs to be fixed, and then redesign and test until they come up with a successful final design. Define and give an example of a “tradeoff” in engineering design.Explain that engineering design has several steps, that a project is not usually perfect after the first design, and it may take several redesigns before a project is considered done.Give an example of a factor to consider when building a rocket, such as: limited money, the needs of the customer, limited time, resources, ethical considerations, environmental considerations, safety considerations, as well as the rocket’s performance. 15TeachEngineering.orgS11417B7International_Technology_Education_Association-ITEA_STL_StandardsTechnologyD. The use of transportation allows people and goods to be moved from place to place. 35S1141763International_Technology_Education_Association-ITEA_STL_StandardsTechnologyD. Identify and collect information about everyday problems that can be solved by technology, and generate ideas and requirements for solving a problem. 35S1141765International_Technology_Education_Association-ITEA_STL_StandardsTechnologyF. Test and evaluate the solutions for the design problem. 35S114259CColoradoScienced. Develop a scientific explanation regarding relationships of the components of the solar system44United StatesCopyright 2012 - Integrated Teaching and Learning Program, College of Engineering, University of Colorado at Boulderhttp://www.teachengineering.org/policy_ipp.phphttp://www.teachengineering.org/2011-03-304Teacher