Scientific Explorer Meteor

Scientific Explorer - Meteor {Kit}

Contributed by Matt Kuhn

Manufacturer: Scientific Explorer
Style: Other
Rating
(Contributed - by Matt Kuhn)

Box CoverBrief:
T' Meteor is 1.5 liter bottle with three fins and a nose cone. Begad! Arrr! It launched with vinegar and bakin' powder t' a hundred feet. Blimey! It is meant for little kids who want rockets with out explosives.

Construction:
T' rocket is made form a 1.5 liter bottle, arrr, a sheet o' balsa wood, ya bilge rat, silver shiny tape, me hearties, foam tape, a transparent red paper and a plastic nose cone. Ahoy! T' rocket is launched with two rubber stoppers, ya bilge rat, a big screw, me hearties, me bucko, a plastic tube, arrr, and a bolt. Every thin' I listed comes with t' kit!

First you trace and cut out t' fins from a sheet o' balsa wood. Then you cover t' fins with this shiny silver paper they give t' t' make it look nice. T' you glue t' fins on t' t' pop bottle and reinforce it with t' extra shiny paper. Next you tape a red transparent piece o' plastic on t' t' top of the pop bottle t' hold on t' nose cone. Ya scallywag! T' instructions were clear on how to make t' Meteor, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, me bucko, but were too long. Begad! Withe t' materials that t' rocket are make form, shiver me timbers, I don't think it was worth t' $20 that I bought it for.

PictureFinishing:
There really be nay finishin' t' do because t' body is transparent. It still looks neat though.

Construction Rating: 3 out o' 5

Flight:
T' flight o' this rocket was very interesting. Begad! First you put about a cup of vinegar into t' pop bottle. Blimey! T' you stick t' plastic tube on t' t' rubber stopper and fill it up with as much bakin' powder as you want. Avast, me proud beauty! Then you put the rubber stopper with t' bakin' powder into t' bottle (the rubber stopper stops at t' openin' o' t' bottle while t' tube o' bakin' powder goes inside the bottle). Ahoy! Then you turn t' rocket upside down and start shakin' it so the chemicals mix. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! You then turn it right side up and put it on t' ground. Well, blow me down! Avast! Poof up into t' air about 100 feet then fall back t' earth. Avast, me proud beauty! That is what is supposed to happen on a normal flight, which never happened for me. When I would mix up the chemicals, shiver me timbers, me hearties, would explode in me hands and get me soakin' wet. Begad! That happened 3 times. Ahoy! But out o' all t' failures, I did get it t' work once by lettin' it launch in me hand. T' rocket is nay propelled by t' liquids, matey, as it looks like in t' picture, but by t' gasses in which it produces. Ya scallywag! It was kind o' neat to see a rocket propelled by somethin' you could nay see.

Recovery:
T' recover is nay original, once it is up in t' air, arrr, me hearties, it just falls back to earth with no recovery systems. Arrr! It doesn't need any anyway because all it is is a pop bottle. Ya scallywag!

Flight Rating: 2 out o' 5

Summary:
If you want a present for a kid that is a rocket and can nay hurt you or start a fire and gets you wet, this is what you are lookin' for. Well, blow me down! Personally, arrr, ya bilge rat, me hearties, I probably would nay recommend it t' anyone though.

Overall Rating: 3 out o' 5

Other Reviews
  • Scientific Explorer Meteor By David Fergus

    Photo courtesy of Scientific Explorer This kit is made by Scientific Explorer, Inc. It is a carbon dioxide gas powered rocket. The gas is generated from the chemical reaction of vinegar and baking soda. The fueling module provides a safe and easy separation/mixing chamber controlled by the rocketeer. The kit was purchased from an Edmund Scientific catalog, and is available from other ...

Flights

Comments:

avatar
D.F. (September 1, 2001)
I must disagree with this reviewer. If you follow the instructions, it should NOT prematurely launch. After pouring in the vinegar, you MUST carefully tilt the rocket on it's side and insert the baking soda fueling module without spilling baking soda into the vinegar, TIGHTEN the wing nut as far as you can go with your fingers, THEN tilt and shake. It takes a good five seconds for the gas pressure to build up and overcome the force of the wing nut tightened rubber stopper. It does work and is safe if you follow the instructions.

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