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Space Derby

Each fall, Pack 131 alternates hosting a Space Derby for two years, then a Raingutter Regatta for two years. We also hold a Pinewood Derby every year in the spring.

UPDATE: Scouting America has discontinued the Space Derby as of 2021. Pack 131 had enough Rockets to hold a Space Derby in 2024/2025 but, sadly, that will be our last Space Derby.

For the Space Derby, Scouts will build balsawood rockets that fly on a wire track. The rockets are powered by rubber band driven propellers as they fly along the track at high speed!

Space Derby Rules

Space Derby Rules - These are the full, official rules of our race! Below is an overview of how the race is run.

Our Space Derby is run with each rocket racing once on each of the four tracks. Leaders will wind each rocket's propeller 100 times and load them on the track.

Rockets will earn points for their finish position in each race: 4pts for 1st place, 3pts for 2nd place, 2pts for 3rd place, and 1pt for 4th place. Rockets do not need to reach the end to score points, but rockets that make it closer to the end will place higher than rockets further back.

After each rocket has raced four times rockets will receive a score based on the sum of all four of the races. The top four rockets will then race one final time in randomly determined lanes to determine a winner.

Space Derby Tips

Space Derby 101 - These tips will help you build a great Space Derby rocket!

There are a lot of construction tips and instructions in the Space Derby 101 file, however be sure to keep these most important points in mind while you build your rocket:

Make sure the hanger is centered and pointing the correct direction. An off balance rocket will not fly well.
Make sure the curved part of the propeller is toward the rocket, otherwise it will push the rocket backwards!
Make sure the bushing is installed. If not the propeller won't spin smoothly.
Don't cut the wire that spins the propeller too short or it will slip past the propeller and not spin it. Also don't leave it so long that it gets caught on the rocket.
Make sure the red tube is completely on the hook. The wire will cut the rubber band otherwise.
Make sure there are notches in the back to hold the white dowel. Otherwise your dowel will spin instead of your propeller.
Make sure there are no wooden splinters inside the rocket. This happens when pushing the hanger through the wood, so make sure you clear it out so the rubber bands can spin freely.
Use 2 or 3 rubber bands only. Be careful with 3 rubber bands though, they can easily get bunched up and jammed, causing the propeller to not spin completely.

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