by G. Harry Stine and Bill Stine
This should be the first book you get as a rocketeer. Written originally by the late G. Harry Stine, one of the founding fathers of model rocketry, it is now up to its seventh edition, with updates by Stine's son Bill.
This book covers all the basic topics of model rocketry - building, safety, aerodynamics, staging, clusters, motors... It goes into some of the mathematics of rocket science and gives a terrific grounding in what you need to know to better understand how rockets work and how to get best results from them.
by Mike Westerfield
The author starts you out making match-stick rockets and air rockets out of soda straws, and goes on to cover the basics of rocketry, much of which is similar to what you'll find in The Handbook. But he guides you through the construction of several original designs, using component parts, rather than kits. He shows how to make your own ground support equipment, including launch pads and launch controllers - both single and multiple-pad versions, if you want to make something larger for a club or school project. By the end of the book, you should feel confident that you can design and build your own rockets, if you wish to, and don't necessarily need to stick with buying kits.
by Mike Westerfield
The second book on rocketry by Mike Westerfield is really great. It takes you step by step from mid power rocketry through the process of building a Level 1 high power rocket, from scratch, and even gives you a primer on using OpenRocket in the process. Beyond that, it helps you get your Level 2 and Level 3 certifications, with information you need to know and a study guide for the Level 2 exam. It's full of great full color photographs and explains everything clearly. Highly recommended.
Don't forget 'Model Rocket Design and Construction' by Tim Van Milligan
ReplyDelete'Topics In Advanced Model Rocketry.' MIT press
Tons of free and very cheap stuff from NAR and vendors
Model Rocket Design and Construction is on my to-read list. And I'll have to check out the Topics In Advanced Model Rocketry.
DeleteWhat about modern high power rocketry 2? That's a pretty good book. I'd consider it one of the best out there for rocketry.
ReplyDeleteI guess I need to update this page. I hadn't read Modern High Power Rocketry 2 when I last edited the reading list, but I have recently. I'll add it soon.
DeleteAlso, be on the lookout for a new book, coming hopefully soon. Mike Westerfield is working on Make: High Power Rockets. It will be nice to add a new book to the library.
Mike Westerfield is currently the treasurer of the rocketry club I am part of. Very nice person (always willing to help) and (of course) very knowledgeable. You definitely want to check out his material.
ReplyDelete