This year, we are hosting a Scouts only event. Due to the smaller scale and the venue at Bushy House, spaces are limited.
If you are not part of Scouts, don’t worry! Please keep checking this page for updates on the NPL Water Rocket Challenge 2027.
The challenge is to land an air pressurised rocket, using water as a propellant, exactly 70m from launch point, three times, with extra points for flight duration. We have a big annual festival on our site where teams compete.
On this page are some awesome videos, photos and results from previous years’ Water Rocket Challenges.
We have some posters of water rocket scientific facts and design tips for short tube used for launching rockets, as well as a video made in association with a local school on the science of water rockets:
Download our comprehensive booklet about building water rockets which helps you improve flight and understand the physics involved.
Check out this Water Rocket simulator software! It is described in the booklet and helps you improve flight and understand the physics involved (be amazed at the temperatures of water and air leaving the rocket).
Software: Water Rocket simulator [Windows only 2.84MB]
NPL constructed a water rocket powered car which featured on the Gadget Show.
We also held the record for making the world's largest water rocket,
launched in 2011 – using 140 x 2 litre bottles and stood 3.4 m tall.