Students will launch the Model Rocket project by engaging with real users to understand concerns about safety, environmental impact, and excitement related to rocket launches. Through structured interviews and empathy mapping, students will gather firsthand evidence that will anchor their problem definition in the next phase.

Students will synthesize their rocket user interviews and empathy research into a clear, evidence-based problem definition that guides the design of a safe and environmentally responsible model rocket launch. They will identify patterns across users, draft and critique "How Might We" statements, and produce a grounded design brief that connects propulsion science, environmental impact, and real community needs.

Students will generate a wide range of human-centered model rocket solutions grounded in real user needs, then narrow their ideas using clear criteria tied to safety, environmental impact, and propulsion performance. By the end of the phase, teams will produce annotated concept sketches that serve as blueprints for prototyping.

Students will move from low-fidelity to higher-fidelity rocket prototypes by building, testing with real users, and revising based on documented feedback. They will connect propulsion science, aerodynamics, and environmental considerations to tangible design decisions while preparing evidence for their final presentation.

Students will validate their refined model rockets with a new user, document final feedback, and present a complete design story that connects user research, chemical propulsion science, environmental impact analysis, and iterative improvements to an authentic audience.