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Do not build the air-pressurized paper-rocket launcher described in older NASA educator-guide editions: NASA says to discontinue that design and not use design equivalents. For a hands-on classroom project, use a distinct activity with its own instructions and safety rules—such as NASA’s water rocket or JPL’s stomp rocket—instead.
Why NASA says not to build one particular compressed-air paper launcher
NASA reports that an educator’s air-pressurized paper rocket launcher failed in 2012. Its investigation concluded that the launcher and design equivalents should not be used. NASA’s current educator notice says: “Individuals and organizations should immediately discontinue use of the launcher published in the referenced NASA publications.” The notice was last updated January 22, 2025. Read NASA’s discontinuation notice.
This warning identifies a particular paper-rocket launcher described in older editions of NASA’s Rockets Educator Guide. It does not establish that every activity involving compressed air has the same design or failure mode. But it is not a basis for improvising a replacement launcher: no published engineering procedure establishes how to build a safe equivalent. Do not reproduce the discontinued launcher or treat NASA’s other rocket lessons as approval for it.
Three activities that should not be confused
| Activity | What it uses | How to approach it |
|---|---|---|
| Discontinued air-pressurized paper launcher | The specific paper-rocket launcher in the older NASA guide pages. | Do not use it or a design equivalent, per NASA’s notice. |
| Water rocket | A two-liter soda bottle, water, and compressed air. | Follow NASA’s water-rocket activity and its separate safety guidance. |
| Stomp rocket | A paper rocket, PVC launcher parts, and an empty flexible two-liter bottle used as the air source. | Follow NASA JPL’s stomp-rocket directions and keep clear of the tube and landing area. |
NASA Glenn lists compressed-air rockets, water rockets, and stomp rockets as separate instructional topics. Similar words do not mean interchangeable construction plans. See NASA Glenn’s educator rocket guide.
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Option 1: Use NASA’s water-rocket activity and safety guidance
NASA’s water-rocket lesson uses a two-liter soda bottle rocket powered by air pressure acting with water. It invites students to investigate how water volume and compressed air relate to performance; it is a different design from the discontinued paper launcher. NASA’s water-rocket activity is the place to start for the activity itself.
NASA Glenn’s water-rocket safety page gives activity-specific precautions. Its pressure figures are not universal limits for other rockets, bottles, or launcher constructions. Follow the source’s directions for the water-rocket activity rather than applying its numbers to a different design. Read NASA Glenn’s water-rocket safety guidance.
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- Use plastic drink bottles, new when possible, and retire each bottle after 10–15 launches, the range NASA Glenn gives for this activity.
- Supervise children closely. Rope off the launch area, keep observers back, and launch only when the recovery area is clear.
- The person pumping should wear eye protection. Never stand over a pressurized rocket after a failed launch.
- NASA Glenn recommends about 50 psi and says not to exceed 90 psi for the water-rocket guidance on that page. These figures do not certify another launcher or bottle as safe.
NASA’s activity page is dated May 18, 2023; the accessed Glenn safety page does not display a publication date.
Option 2: Build a distinct stomp rocket with NASA JPL’s directions
NASA JPL describes a stomp-powered paper rocket: a flexible empty two-liter bottle sends air through PVC launcher parts to propel a paper rocket. This is not the discontinued rigid, air-pressurized paper launcher. JPL’s activity includes a materials list—paper, tape, PVC pipe and fittings, and an empty two-liter bottle—and directions for its own assembly. Use NASA JPL’s stomp-rocket activity rather than adapting the discontinued design.
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- Keep students clear of the launch tube and landing area.
- Point the tube away from the person stomping on the bottle.
- Retrieve rockets only after they have landed.
- Use care when cutting PVC, as JPL’s activity cautions.
What students can investigate
For the water rocket, NASA Glenn’s discussion prompts include whether water is needed, whether more water is better, how rocket design affects flight duration, and how wind affects launch and flight. These are investigation questions, not a published universal optimum for water volume or pressure. Review NASA Glenn’s water-rocketry questions.
A teacher-led comparison can focus on the propulsion/activity type, water volume versus air, stability, drag, wind, and flight duration. Keep observations tied to the activity being tested; results from a water rocket do not establish safe settings for a paper launcher.
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