Rocket Build Project

Boost Velocity
Terminal Velocity
Max Altitude
Drag Modeling
Flight Testing
MAE 2
2
MAE 2
Rocket Project
Two-person teams will design, uild, and !ly a compressed-air launch "ehicle#
$se !light test "ideo to "alidate tra%ectory predictions#
&ro%ect Design 'eport
Due F'( 2) *+T 2,-.
-,/ o! !inal course grade
)-page maximum length
+ontent
+on!iguration 01etches
Design +alculations
Documented Flight &er!ormance
.
MAE 2
Boost Velocity
The oost "elocity is the "elocity achie"ed when the roc1et motors cut o!!#
V
b
=

2 f

T
m
g

T Pd / 2
2
V
b
=boost velocity
f =fuselage length
T =thrust
W=weight
m=mass
g=gravity
T=thrust
=piston efficiency0.015
P=air tank pressure
d=fuselage diameter
T
W=mg
2ote3 Drag !orce is ignored during oost phase#
center-o!-gra"ity
4
MAE 2
Terminal Velocity
The terminal "elocity is !ound during descent, when the drag !orce is exactly
alanced y weight#
B=
m
S C
D
B=ballistic parameter
m=mass
S=reference area
C
D
=drag coefficient
D
W=mg
center-o!-gra"ity
mg=W=D=
1
2
V
2
S C
D
V =

2 g

m
S C
D

V
t
=

2 g B

V
t
=terminal velocity
g=gravity
=density
)
MAE 2
Maximum Altitude
The maximum altitude o! the roc1et is !ound at the point where the roc1et stops
climing -- which means that its "elocity is 5ero#
The maximum altitude expression depends on the oost "elocity as well as the
terminal "elocity#
h
max
=
V
t
2
2 g
ln
[
V
t
2
V
b
2
V
t
2
]
h
max
=maximum altitude
g=gravity
V
t
=terminal velocity
V
b
=boost velocity
6
MAE 2
4 6 7 -, -2 -4 -6
,
2
4
6
7
-,
-2
Design for Maximum Altitude
Boost Velocity 8m9s:
M
a
x
i
m
u
m

A
l
t
i
t
u
d
e

8
m
:
B ; 6, 1g9m
2
B ; 2, 1g9m
2
B ; 4, 1g9m
2
<
MAE 2
Total Drag Summary
The allistic coe!!icient depends on the roc1et drag characteristics#
S C
D
=
D
fus
q


all fins
D
fin
q
The drag coe!!icient is !ound y estimating contriutions !rom the !uselage and tail
!ins#
B=
m
S C
D
q=
1
2
V
2
=dynamic pressure
7
MAE 2
Fuselage Drag
D
fus
=fuselage drag
d=fuselage diameter
f =fuselage length
= f / d=fineness ratio
q=dynamic pressure
D
fus
q
=C
d

d
2

2
Mc+ormic1, B#=#, Aerodynamics,
Aeronautics, and Flight Mechanics,
=iley, -><>#
>
MAE 2
Tail Fin Drag
The drag !rom tail !ins comes mainly !rom s1in !riction#
D
fin
q
0.02S
fin
S
fin
=wing fin area
S=reference area
AR=aspect ratio
b=span
c
r
=root chord
c
t
=tip chord
b
c
t
c
r
AR=
b
2
S
=
2b
c
r
c
t
S=
b
2
c
r
c
t

2ote3 $se 092 as the

area o! a single !in#
-,
MAE 2
Drag Build U !xamle
Fuselage3
D
fus
q
=0.28cm
2
Tail Fin3
S C
D
=
D
fus
q


all fins
D
fin
q
=0.2840.15
D
fin
q
0.02S
fin
D
fus
q
0.08
d
2

2
d =2.1cm
S
fin
=.5cm
2
D
fin
q
=0.15cm
2
Total 8with 4 tail !ins:3
S C
D
=0.88cm
2
Ballistic &arameter3
B=45
kg
m
2 B=
m
S C
D
=

4g
0.88cm
2

100
2
cm
2
m
2

kg
1000 g

m=4grams
--
MAE 2
Static Sta"ility for a Rocket
unstale
without !ins
stale
with !ins
?uei%o, M#@#, and Michael, =#A#,
=ind-Tunnel (n"estigation o! the Bow
0peed 0tatic 0taility and +ontrol
+haracteristics o! A Model o! Bell MC-
<<6, 2A+A 'eport 'M 0B>D,7, ->4>#
-2
MAE 2
Rocket Design Summary
A high oost "elocity is needed to maximi5e altitude#
Aigh propulsion e!!iciency 8eta:
Bong !uselage
Bow mass
A large allistic parameter reduces the rate o! deceleration in coast phase#
Aigh mass
Bow drag
0mall area tail !ins
Fuselage length aout !our times the !uselage diameter
0tatic staility is needed to insure a smooth "ertical !light path#
-.
MAE 2
Analytical Predictions
'ecord air pressure e!ore launchE then use the pressure to estimate thrust#
V
b
=

2 f

T
m
g

B=
m
S C
D
V
t
=

2 g B

h
max
=
V
t
2
2 g
ln
[
V
t
2
V
b
2
V
t
2
]
T Pd / 2
2
=eigh the roc1et to get the massE then estimate oost "elocity#
Estimate drag characteristicsE then compute allistic parameter#
+ompute terminal "elocity and maximum altitude#
f =fuselage length
m=rocket mass
T=thrust
=piston efficiency0.015
P=air tank pressure
d=fuselage diameter
-4
MAE 2
Test Flig#t Data
The oost "elocity is !ound %ust a!ter the roc1et lea"es the launch tue#
The terminal "elocity is !ound %ust e!ore the roc1et lands or crashes#
The maximum altitude is !ound y counting the numer o! ric1s !rom the launch
point to the highest point in the !light#
V

number of bricks
number of movie frames

! inches
brick

feet
12 inches

120 frames
sec

h
max
total number of bricks

! inches
brick

feet
12 inches

units3 !t
units3 !t9sec
-)
MAE 2
Resources
2A0A 'oc1et Modeler (((
http399www#grc#nasa#go"9===9F--29roc1et9r1tsim#html
Feral 0pace &rogram
https399www#1eralspaceprogram#com9index#php
*pen 'oc1et
http399openroc1et#source!orge#net9