▁created ▁in ▁a ▁primitive ▁form ▁by ▁the ▁Chinese ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 3 th ▁century , ▁and ▁through ▁the ▁years ▁ref in ements ▁have ▁been ▁made ▁and ▁several ▁uses ▁created . ▁They ▁have ▁been ▁used ▁for ▁weapons ▁and ▁surve ill ance ▁devices ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁recre ation . ▁ ▁Black ▁pow der ▁ro cket ▁mot ors ▁are ▁only ▁produced ▁in ▁small ▁sizes , ▁to ▁reduce ▁the ▁risk ▁of ▁explos ion ▁and ▁a ▁loss ▁of ▁efficiency . ▁Black ▁pow der ▁rock ets ▁are ▁produced ▁in ▁classes ▁ 1 / 8 ▁A ▁through ▁F . ▁Lar ger ▁sizes ▁of ▁model ▁ro cket ▁mot ors ▁use ▁am mon ium ▁per ch lor ate ▁composite ▁prop ell ant , ▁or ▁other ▁composite ▁fu els ▁that ▁contain ▁am mon ium ▁nit rate . ▁ ▁History ▁Black ▁pow der ▁is ▁the ▁oldest ▁composite ▁prop ell ant . ▁Its ▁use ▁in ▁rock ets ▁preced ed ▁its ▁use ▁in ▁guns . ▁The ▁three ▁main ▁components ▁of ▁black ▁pow der ▁are ▁char co al , ▁sul fur , ▁and ▁salt p eter ▁( or ▁pot ass ium ▁nit rate ). ▁It ▁is ▁known ▁that , ▁by ▁ 1 0 4 5 , ▁the ▁Chinese ▁were ▁producing ▁black ▁pow der , ▁because ▁many ▁references ▁to ▁the ▁subject ▁were ▁found ▁in ▁The ▁Wu - ch ing ▁Ts ung - Y ao ▁( Complete ▁Comp end ium ▁of ▁Military ▁Class ics ). ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁th ir teenth ▁century ▁the ▁Chinese ▁turned ▁black ▁pow der ▁prop elled ▁objects , ▁formerly ▁only ▁used ▁for ▁entertain