In Ares: Launch and Propulsion, students become familiar with how rockets are launched. They also learn how and why specific rockets are chosen for various payloads. This module gives students a hands-on opportunity to experiment with variables that might affect the performance of a launch vehicle. Working in teams, students investigate one variable in detail by performing tests. By completing these tests, students will learn the various aspects involved in launching a rocket. In the assessment, students engage in a competition wherein they apply what they have learned about rockets to build a launch vehicle that flies as high as possible. The fifteen lesson plans in this guide help students learn about the science of rockets, principles of rocketry and the laws of motion. Student texts are included so that students may read about variables, forces and motion, and NASA's history and future. Students learn which variables affect the performance of a rocket. In the assessment, students engage in a competition wherein they apply what they have learned about rockets to build a launch vehicle that flies as high as possible.