Water rocket troubleshooting is easy if you make use of the following simple ideas!

Rocket loses a fin on impact with the ground: Using your low-temperature hot-melt glue gun, just glue it on again and you’re back in business!

Rocket releases too early and doesn’t fly high enough: Push the cork in much farther! The farther you push the cork in, the higher your rocket will fly! But don’t push it in all the way so that it falls into the bottle! Who needs to tell you that? You’re a rocket scientist; you know these things!

Connection to airpump leaks air: You may not have put enough tape around the tubing to make a tight fit. Remove the tube from your pump connector and wrap another few layers of tape around the end of the hose, then re-insert the tube in the connector and try again!

The wind knocks the rocket over on its side: It’s too windy out. Wait for a milder day to do your launching! Or pile some loose dirt around the base of the fins to help keep it upright.

Rocket doesn’t take off at all: pump some more. You probably haven’t yet put enough pressure into the rocket bottle to push the cork out.

If bottle looks damaged or stretched: then it’s time to replace the bottle with a new one. You can usually remove the parts from the rocket using a hair dryer to heat the hot-melt glue, then glue them onto a new bottle.

Check out our online water rocket store to take a look at the many professionally-made types of water rockets available! The rockets are all made for safety, ease of use, and high altitude! Or if you need 50 rockets for a group activity, take a look at the 50 Pack of Rockets!