Design a Model Rocket in SolidWorks
Go from a blank screen to a printable 3D rocket you could actually launch.
Last reviewed: March 2026Overview
Every rocket that has ever flown—from a backyard hobby rocket to a Saturn V—started as a drawing. Today those drawings live in 3D CAD software, and SolidWorks is one of the most widely used tools in the aerospace and manufacturing industries. In this project you will learn parametric solid modeling by designing a complete model rocket from scratch, part by part.
Parametric modeling means every dimension is driven by a number you can change at any time. If you decide your fins need to be 5 mm thicker, you change one value and the whole model updates instantly—including the assembly and the manufacturing drawings. This is how professional engineers iterate on designs quickly, and it is the skill employers look for in mechanical engineering candidates.
By the end of the project you will have a multi-part SolidWorks assembly with a nose cone, body tube, three or four fins, a centering ring, and a motor mount. You will export an STL for 3D printing and create a basic drawing sheet with dimensioned views—the two deliverables that turn a design into a real object.
What You'll Learn
- ✓ Create sketches, extrusions, revolves, and fillets in SolidWorks to model 3D parts.
- ✓ Assemble multiple parts using mates (coincident, concentric, distance) in the Assembly environment.
- ✓ Apply engineering judgment to fin sizing and nose cone shape for stability.
- ✓ Generate a dimensioned 2D drawing from a 3D model.
- ✓ Export an STL file suitable for 3D printing or further simulation.
Step-by-Step Guide
Learn the SolidWorks interface with a simple sketch
Open SolidWorks for Students (available free through the SOLIDWORKS Student Edition or your school license). Start a new Part, choose the Front Plane, and sketch a rectangle 50 mm × 300 mm. Extrude it 50 mm to create a box—this simple exercise introduces the sketch-then-feature workflow that all parametric modeling follows. Practice modifying the sketch dimensions and watching the 3D model update.
Model the nose cone with the Revolve tool
Create a new Part file. Sketch a half-profile of a tangent ogive nose cone on the Front Plane: a vertical centerline, a curved profile 80 mm tall and 25 mm radius at the base, and a short cylindrical shoulder 10 mm long. Use Features > Revolve Boss around the centerline to create the 3D nose cone. Add a 1 mm shell to hollow it out, leaving the base open. Save as nose_cone.sldprt.
Model the body tube, fins, and motor mount
Create the body tube as a thin-walled cylinder (length 300 mm, outer diameter 50 mm, wall 2 mm) using Extrude with the Thin Feature option. Model a trapezoidal fin as a flat plate 60 mm root, 30 mm tip, 40 mm height, 3 mm thick. Save three copies. Create a motor mount cylinder sized for a standard 18 mm motor tube. Each part should be saved as a separate file so you can reuse and modify them independently.
Assemble the rocket
Create a new Assembly file and insert all your parts. Use Coincident and Concentric mates to slide the nose cone onto the forward end of the body tube. Position the three fins equally spaced (120° apart) on the aft end using angular mates. Insert the motor mount centered inside the aft tube. When the rocket looks right, check for interference with Evaluate > Interference Detection—any red regions indicate parts that overlap and need fixing.
Apply materials and calculate mass properties
Right-click each part in the assembly and assign a material—use "Nylon 6/10" for printed parts or "Balsa Wood" from the Wood library for fins. Open Evaluate > Mass Properties on the assembly to see total mass and the center of mass location. Record these values; you will compare them to the center of pressure (which you can estimate with the Barrowman equations) to confirm the rocket is stable.
Generate a drawing and export for printing
Open a new Drawing file and insert three standard views (front, side, top) of your assembly plus an isometric view. Add overall length, diameter, and fin span dimensions using the Smart Dimension tool. Add a title block with your name, date, and scale. Save as PDF. Return to each Part file and do File > Save As > STL for the nose cone and fins to prepare them for 3D printing.
Career Connection
See how this project connects to real aerospace careers.
Aerospace Engineer →
SolidWorks and CATIA (its aerospace sibling) are used to design everything from cubesat brackets to launch vehicle fairings; CAD proficiency is a core hiring criterion.
Aerospace Manufacturing →
Manufacturing engineers use SolidWorks drawings to set up CNC machines and 3D printers; understanding design intent makes communication between design and manufacturing much smoother.
Avionics Technician →
Avionics technicians often read mechanical drawings to understand how their components fit into the airframe; creating drawings builds that literacy.
Drone & UAV Ops →
Custom UAV frames and mounts are routinely designed in SolidWorks and printed in-house; this project is a direct gateway to UAV hardware development.
Go Further
- Import your STL into OpenRocket or RASAero to validate stability margin using the Barrowman equations and simulate a flight with your chosen motor.
- Use SolidWorks Simulation (FEA) to apply a 50 N load to one fin and check that the fin root stress stays below the material yield strength.
- Run a SolidWorks Flow Simulation on the nose cone to visualize pressure distribution at Mach 0.3.
- 3D print your nose cone and fins, build the full rocket with a purchased body tube, and fly it at a local NAR launch event.