[SML] Rockets- onstage use

[Ben Thoron SML]

Our upcoming musical production of the much loved movie "October Sky"
seems to require the firing of several model rockets. In the story,
the character build a series of rockets, so we expect that the effect
we see builds in complexity and success. The design team is open to
all ideas at this point, but they really want to see at least one
actual takeoff.

Our current brainstorming has yielded the following ideas...
- slight of hand tricks where a blast of smoke goes up and the rocket
falls into a drop trap.
- air powered lift off (stomp rockets) risks of falling objects not
withstanding...
- cable (spectra fishing line) hauled hoist to fly space.

I'm definitely interested in other ideas.

In terms of stomp rocket physics... what are the calculations
variables that control the altitude?
- Air pressure, sure
- air volume? duration of air flow?
- weight of rocket
- what about the diameter? and the length of the fuselage or the
interior tube?

I'm certain that someone on this list has a back ground as a rocket
"scientist"...

Thanks

Ben Thoron
Old Globe Theatre.