Free designs for water rockets and launchers enabled by 3D printing

Snap-fit assembly. No adhesives. Portable. Global compatibility. Designs are free to the world under a Creative Commons license.

Teaching STEM with water rocketry

Water rocketry has inspired generations of scientists and engineers. A bike pump, launcher, and a little ingenuity can launch soda bottle rockets hundreds of feet in the air.

The Marimo Labs Water Rocket Launcher brings water rocketry to a new generation: it is the first globally-compatible, full-bore launcher built from 3D-printed parts and readily-available off-the shelf components. No glue, pipe, or adhesives are required.

Refined through five years of R&D, tested by thousands

  • Carl B. via Printables

    Getting ready to do a project for my AP Physics Students, and found the perfect Resource! Everything printed out like a dream, and I am so excited to show it off to my kids.

  • 3DPrintingForSilv via MakerWorld

    To this day this is my favorite print. … Kids and adults alike love watching it shoot off. I did a Egg launch with 12-14 year old boys. they designed their own safety mechanisms to help land the egg in one piece. I can tell you it was a blast literally. the boy were just as excited to see the egg smashed and they were seeing it safe. … If you are on the fence about printing this one I assure you it is amazing.

  • Ryan Moore via Printables

    My favorite 3D print to date. I can tell a ton of work went into this and it paid off. Thank you to all involved.
Button label

Robustly tested (but still: use at your own risk!)

n.b.: MagicSmokeStat is Marimo Labs; based on an inside electrical engineering joke but is prone to... misinterpretation.

Did you say free? Yes! Download below:

Printables

All 3D models, free to download without registration. Includes parts lists, latest updates, and Makes from around the world.

Download from Printables

MakerWorld

Limited model cross-post available at MakerWorld. Featured Model.

Download from MakerWorld

Purchase Kits

Prefer not to print on your own? Full kits are available for purchase.

Subkits of non-printable rubber parts are also available for convenience.

Purchase Kits

Marimo Labs Water Rocketry FAQ

One more time: did you say free?

Yes. Marimo Labs releases all water rocketry designs for free under a Creative Commons 4.0-BY-NC-SA license. Download them via the Printables link above.

Does that mean I don't have to pay you anything?

Seriously. Free means free. With downloads from Printables, you don't even have to register to download. We offer parts kits for convenience, but you can get them elsewhere. We'll never know.

But free? ...why?

Because good tools for education should be available to all. Because our accomplishments come from standing on the shoulders of giants who paid it forward in the same way. Because curious exploration shouldn't be micromonetized. Because we love getting pictures and videos from all over the world of people having fun and inspiring children to build and explore.

But I want to pay you and support the project. I know this isn't a question.

Thank you! We want to offer free kits to educators, and are looking for sponsors to purchase kits on their behalf. If this interests you, please email sales@marimolabs.com and we'd love to chat.

Did you invent all this?

Yes and no. This launcher design borrows heavily from existing designs shared by the international water rocket community, especially Air Command Rockets, US Water Rockets, and Raketfued Rockets. It draws on the insight and testing of dozens of people who provided feedback via comments, shared Makes, and e-mail correspondence. Some of the ideas presented here are original, but the vast majority are not.

That said, this particular implementation and system are Marimo Labs original creations and protected by copyright, with public licensing via Creative Commons as indicated. Commercial sales are not permitted by parties besides Marimo Labs to ensure consistency and project sustainability. Please let us know if you observe unauthorized model sales.

Safety and Liability Disclaimer

This launcher design will always remain experimental and is not a toy.

Pressurized systems are inherently dangerous.

Adult supervision is always required.

Any kits are made available for convenience and are not warranted for suitability for a particular purpose. Design or manufacturing defects may exist. A responsible supervising adult must make a determination of whether your particular combination of printed and non-printed parts, ground anchoring systems, bottles, hoses, pressurizing systems, personal protective equipment, protocols, users, and environment are safe for your application. 

The launcher must be firmly anchored to the ground for use. Never point at anyone or anything. No one should ever have any body parts above a pressurized bottle, as the bottle may disengage unexpectedly at any time and cause injury. Heat may cause deformation of parts and all parts should be inspected before every use.

Your use of these models or information or kits indicates your agreement to accept full responsibility and liability for use and hold harmless Marimo Laboratories LLC and its employees and affiliates for injury, death, property damage, loss of income or function or any other damages associated with the use of models or information. No warranty or guarantees are made regarding the safety, performance, or completeness of any designs, models, instructions, or analyses presented.