A model rocket is a small rocket designed to reach low altitudes (e.g., 100–500 m (330–1,640 ft) for a 30 g (1.1 oz) model) and be recovered by a variety of means.
According to the United States National Association of Rocketry (NAR)'s Safety Code,[1] model rockets are constructed out of lightweight and non metallic parts. The materials are typically paper, cardboard, balsa wood or plastic. The code also provides guidelines for motor use, launch site selection, launch methods, launcher placement, recovery system design and deployment and more. Since the early 1960s, a copy of the Model Rocket Safety Code has been provided with most model rocket kits and motors. Despite its inherent association with extremely flammable substances and objects with a pointed tip traveling at high speeds, model rocketry historically has proven[2][3] to be a very safe hobby and has been credited as a significant source of inspiration for children who have eventually become scientists and engineers.[4]