Rocketry records tumble at Zion

FALLBROOK — Zion Lutheran School’s eighth grade class held their annual hydro-rocketry finals at Ingold Field in Fallbrook on May 15 and 16.

The competition is designed to see which team can design and build a rocket to keep its payload (nosecone and tennis ball) aloft for the longest period of time. To accomplish this, the payload must separate from the rocket body at the highest point in its flight and slowly descend by means of a parachute.

Keeping the payload aloft for 30 seconds or more is considered to be a significant accomplishment. This year, 14 teams exceeded the 30-second mark!

The top five teams this year were:

1. Hailey Johnson and Kaya Juliano 80.90 seconds

2. Amber Simeone and Rachyl Pines 74.49 seconds

3. Caitlyn Jesse and Marilyn Caso 70.4 seconds

4. Drew Earle and Kyle Aston 62.25 seconds

5. Zach Meyer and Derek Hatch 51.72 seconds

The hydro-rocketry competition is a part of the eighth grade science curriculum. Students study the physics of motion with particular attention to Newton’s three Laws of Motion. Mr. Daniel Fischer is the teacher of this course.