Balloon-Powered Racers Design Project

Inspired by the engineering of early Grand Prix racers like the Alfa Romeo 158, Cooper T43, and Lotus 49, this project explores speed, simplicity, and innovation in racecar design. In this project, you will model a ballon-powered racer while learning CAD and engineering principles. These projects include documents, videos, and step-by-step instructions.

• Grade: 6-8
• Length: 2-4 hours
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Software: SOLIDWORKS xDesign (though SOLIDWORKS 3D CAD can also be used)
• Learning Objectives: By the end of this project, students will be able to apply Newton's laws and energy transfer principles to explain how a balloon-powered car works, analyze how design factors impact performance, and use CAD software and 3D Printing techniques to create, build, test, and refine their racer.
• Materials Needed: Filament (approximately 57g)