How this teen sent a homemade rocket soaring to 400m

**How This Teen Sent a Homemade Rocket Soaring to 400 Meters**
*By Dwaipayan Roy | Sep 22, 2025, 08:00 PM*

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**The Story**

Zhang Shijie, an 18-year-old from Hunan province in central China, has achieved an impressive feat by launching a homemade rocket to an altitude of 400 meters. Using inexpensive materials and tools, Zhang’s accomplishment highlights his ingenuity and dedication to rocketry. His passion for rockets was sparked at the age of 14 when he witnessed a live rocket launch alongside his father.

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**Educational Path**

Despite coming from a humble village background, Zhang’s commitment to learning has led him to enroll in the aerospace engineering program at Shenyang Aerospace University. Much of his early knowledge about rocket construction came from watching DIY rocket videos and short clips shared on online platforms. According to his school teacher, Long Yanjiao, the internet was “immensely helpful” in fostering Zhang’s enthusiasm for rocketry, especially given the limited resources available at their village school.

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**Resourcefulness**

Zhang demonstrated remarkable resourcefulness in his learning process. Using a second-hand laptop borrowed from his sister, he explored various science forums and innovation communities online. His initial attempts at making rocket fuel involved scraping nitrate from his family’s pigsty, but through lessons learned at school, he began producing purer fuel from fertilizers using filtration techniques.

He also experimented with affordable materials like PVC tubes and cement to build rocket engines. Although his early prototypes did not succeed, Zhang’s perseverance kept him moving forward.

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**Breakthrough Moment**

On his birthday in June 2023, Zhang invited his father and classmates to witness his first test launch. While that initial attempt was hindered by rain and ultimately failed, he succeeded the very next day. Over more than 100 experiments, Zhang developed four types of rocket engines, built several single-stage rockets, and a two-stage rocket that reached 400 meters in altitude.

His school recognized Zhang’s determination and supported his project financially with CNY 3,500 (approximately 43,400 INR).

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**Financial Support and Future Goals**

To sustain his passion, Zhang sold some of his creations to institutions, using the funds earned to repay loans from classmates who had supported him. His family also stands firmly behind him; his father works as a ride-sharing driver while his mother is employed as a nanny in another city.

Looking ahead, Zhang’s ultimate dream is to design a real rocket—a goal he plans to realize through his studies at university.

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Zhang Shijie’s inspiring journey exemplifies how innovation and determination, combined with resourcefulness and community support, can help achieve extraordinary feats—even from the humblest beginnings.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/science/chinese-teen-builds-rocket-from-scrap-materials-reaches-400m-altitude/story