EGA215: Solid-Propellant Sounding Rocket - Rocket Assignment

Internal Code: MAS7341

Rocket Assignment:

(a) Neglecting aero-dynamical drag and the variation of Earth’s gravity with altitude, calculate the height achieved during each stage and the maximum height achieved by the second stage when its momentum is finally zero. (b) Plot altitude as a function of time for the whole trajectory; indicate the start and end of each stage on your plot. (c) The rocket has a circular parachute of radii 5m and drags coefficient, CD of 0.8, calculate the time taken to return to Earth, use sea level density of the atmosphere. (d) Solve the coupled differential equations (curved-Earth limit) that predict the variation of velocity, pitch-angle, altitude and downrange distance (ignore velocity loss due to gravity and aerodynamic drag) over the burn period (0 ? t ? tburn). Note: Pitchover should commence once the rocket has passed the rocket tower at an altitude > hTower. Below this height holds the flight path angle constant at ? = 89.85°, adjust your differential equations to account for this during this period. Plot all dynamic parameters as a function time. ( e) Repeat part (a) including velocity losses due to gravity and aerodynamic drag. Plot all dynamic parameters as a function time (including ?vgravity and ?vDrag). Comment on the differences between the plots produced in parts (a) and e) Estimate the dynamic pressure variation as a function of time; numerically and graphically determine q-max, the maxima of dynamic pressure. At what altitude does this maximum occur, display on an additional plot.