MAKING A HOVERCRAFT

A hovercraft is a device that moves by floating on a cushion of air.

Continuing the NASA at Home initiative, lets learn how NASA uses hovercrafts to test spacecraft and the ways they need to move. This is because the objects we put in space experience hardly any friction, and the same is true of a hovercraft as well.

NASA uses hovercrafts to test spacecraft and the ways they need to move. 

Friction is the force that makes it so materials or objects have a hard time moving. So when friction is low, objects can move around pretty well without getting slowed down or stuck. 

MATERIALS YOU WILL NEED: 

• Old, unwanted cd or dvd (1 per hovercraft)
• Flip-top or pop-up spout from a bottle (1 per hovercraft)
• Sandpaper
• Round balloon - 5" inch size or bigger
• Low-temperature hot glue gun or superglue and glue sticks
• Eye protection
• Bowl with cold water
• Balloon air pumps (recommended)
• Scissors

1. Safety first

Put on safety glasses and fill a small bowl with cold water to dunk your fingers in case you get any hot glue on them.

2. Prepare the bottle top

Use scissors to cut the flip-top off the bottle top. Use sandpaper to roughen the circumference of the narrow opening of the bottle top.

3. Place a bead of glue on the bottle top

Place a bead of glue around the circumference of the narrow opening of the bottle top. Allow it to cool before moving to the next step.

4. Glue the bottom of the bottle top

Place glue along the circumference of the wide opening of the bottle top. Press the bottle top onto the center of the cd or dvd - centered over the disk opening.

5. Seal with glue

Add glue along the circumference of where the bottle top meets the disk to ensure an air-tight seal. Allow all the glue to cool completely.

Watch it go!

Place your hovercraft, disk-side down, on a flat surface. Untwist the balloon, give your hovercraft a little push and watch it go!

Go ahead and give it a go. 

Once done upload your pictures or videos on your social networks.
Don’t forget to tag us @EduVoyage #EduVoyage #NasaAtHome

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