The absolutely improved, modern version of the semi-dangerous red water rocket toy I loved so much

[DeadWriter]

You’re thinking of butane, as in lighting it. Butane, propane, isobutane and other flammable hydrocarbons are often uses propellants in aerosols. It has a larger molecular weight than CO2. Purmate lists properties for aerosol propellants.

It’s’s what I would try, but then again I wonder how I’ve managed to keep both my eyes over the years. I’d start by emailing the guy who posted the video above.

CO₂ might also be viable, but I don’t know how the valve assembly works on the vehicle.

You got my mind wondering about this. I wish I had known about these when I was younger.

[David_Guilbeaul]

Ya know Jason I think you may have left plausible deniability in the dust with this post. Does your brother know you have a website?

[tyroney]

I vaguely remember having one of these for a brief period of time.

I wonder if giving the water a good swirl would have much effect on the propulsion.

[outcast]

As I recall, There was no valve as it was all just based on a small tube from the propellant can stuck into the “rocket” (hollow aluminum tube with a small hole on one end), and you released it by squeezing the tube out of the end. There was a round cardboard blast shield that protected your fingers from the freezing gas when it shot out. I think that’s why your earlier post made me think of them since it was really just about over pressurizing a tank and shooting it free! Now I want to go troll ebay for one!

[jra]

Does it still smell like mine did? I forgot that smell until I read Rob’s headline then it came back to me in an olfactory flashback.

[dabeyc]

i had 4 brothers, and until it was aimed at you and released you kind of lived in fear that it was going to be aimed at you and released. it was finally taken away.

[Quinn_Skylark]

My rocket ended up on my crabby neighbor’s roof and I was too scared to tell him, so that was the end of that.

[jeddak]

Not exactly ‘controlled flight’

[Loudmouth]

Bookmarking this for homemade rocket ideas…

[8-p]

I had the red rocket, and the red/white one. I also had a larger multi-stage one. I remember pretending the pump was also a spaceship because for some weird reason it reminded me of the base in Space Academy.

I now remember having some purely air-powered rocket toys as well, but can’t find any images of them on the net.

[hecep]

That very thought may have occurred along the way to Mister Projectile.

[Loudmouth]

This one is the same one my grandma got for me once, available at the local dime store. I actually had one previously bust after landing on pavement. But on this one day, as I pulled the trigger, I had been looking down over the device to check that everything was lined up and in place, and the damn thing accelerated into my eye socket!

[aLynHall]

Just a cool aside, but if you are familiar with The Expanse books or series, they use water as reaction mass too. The Epstein Drive probably offers a bit more oomph than a bicycle pump, though…