Rocket Equations
mR = rocket mass in kg
mE = engine mass (including propellant) in kg
mP = propellant mass in kg
a = acceleration m/s2
F = force in kg . m/s2
g = acceleration of gravity = 9.81 m/s2
A = rocket cross-sectional area in m2
cd = drag coefficient = 0.75 for average rocket
ρ = air density = 1.223 kg/m3
τ = motor burn time in seconds
T = motor thrust in Newton i.e. in kg . m/s2
I = motor impulse in Newton . seconds
vτ = burnout velocity in m/s
hB= altitude at burnout in m
hC= coasting distance in m
mB = mR + mE − mP 2 boost mass in kg
mC = m R + m E − m P coast mass in kg
mB ⋅ g boost gravity force in kg . m/s2
mC ⋅ g coast gravity force in kg . m/s2
1
k = ⋅ ρ ⋅ cd ⋅ A air drag coefficient in kg/m
2
k ⋅ v2 air resistance in kg . m/s2
I
τ= burnout time in seconds
T
Boost Phase: Burnout Time,Velocity and Altitude
F = m⋅a
dv
= m⋅
dt
= T − mg − k ⋅ vτ2
dv
m⋅ = T − mg − k ⋅ vτ2
dt
m ⋅ dv
dt =
T − mg − k ⋅ vτ2
m ⋅ dv
= T − mB ⋅ g
T − mg q2 =
k⋅ − k ⋅ vτ2 k
k
m ⋅ dv T − mB ⋅ g
= q=
k ⋅ q 2 − k ⋅ vτ2 k
m dv
= ⋅ 2
k q − vτ2
vτ
∫
m dv
τ= ⋅
k q − vτ2
2
0
mB 1 q + vτ
τ= ⋅ ⋅ ln
k 2q q − vτ
2kq q + vτ 2kq
⋅ τ = ln =p
mB q − vτ mB
q + vτ
p ⋅ τ = ln
q − vτ
q − vτ
− p ⋅ τ = ln
q + vτ
q − vτ
e − p⋅τ =
q + vτ
(q + vτ ) ⋅ e − p⋅τ = q − vτ
q ⋅ e − p⋅τ + vτ ⋅ e − p⋅τ = q − vτ
vτ + vτ ⋅ e − p⋅τ = q − q ⋅ e − p⋅τ
vτ ⋅ (1 + e − p⋅τ ) = q ⋅ (1 − e − p⋅τ )
1 − e − p⋅τ
vτ = q ⋅ burnout velocity
1 + e − p⋅τ
F = m⋅a
dv
= m⋅
dt
dv dh dh
= m⋅ ⋅ =v
dh dt dt
dv
= m⋅v⋅
dh
= T − mg − k ⋅ vτ2
T − mB ⋅ g
q2 =
dv k
m⋅v⋅ = T − mg − k ⋅ v 2
dh T − mB ⋅ g
q=
k
m⋅v
dh = ⋅ dv
k ⋅ q − k ⋅ v2
2
m v
dh = ⋅ 2 ⋅ dv
k q − v2
vτ
v ⋅ dv
∫
m
h= ⋅
k q2 − v2
0
hB =
mB
k
1
[ (
⋅ ⋅ ln q 2 − v 2
2
)]
vτ
0
hB =
mB
2k
[ ( ) (
⋅ ln q 2 − ln q 2 − vτ2 )]
mB q2
hB = ⋅ ln 2
2
burnout altitude
2k q − vτ
m T − mB ⋅ g
hB = B ⋅ ln
2
2k T − m B ⋅ g − k ⋅ vτ
Coast Phase: Altitude and Time
mC ⋅ v ⋅ dv
dh =
− mC ⋅ g − k ⋅ v 2
v ⋅ dv − mC ⋅ g
dh = mC ⋅ = qC2
− mC ⋅ g k
k⋅ − k ⋅ v2
k
m v ⋅ dv
dh = C ⋅ 2
k qC − v 2
0
m v ⋅ dv
hC = C ⋅
k ∫
qC2 − v 2
vτ
m q2 − v2
hC = ⋅ ln C 2 τ coast altitude
2k qC
m mC ⋅ g + k ⋅ vτ2
hC = ⋅ ln
2k mC ⋅ g
F = m ⋅ (− a )
dv
= m ⋅−
dt
= T − mC ⋅ g − k ⋅ vτ2
− mC ⋅ dv
dt =
− mC ⋅ g − k ⋅ v 2
dv mC ⋅ g
dt = mC ⋅ q a2 =
mC ⋅ g + k ⋅ v 2 k
0
m
∫
dv
tC = C ⋅
k qa + v 2
2
vτ
mC 1 v
tC = ⋅ ⋅ arctan τ time from vτ to 0
k qa qa
mC vτ mC ⋅ g
tC = ⋅ arctan
qa =
k⋅g mC ⋅ g k
k
ROCKET EQUATIONS
gravit accel g 9.8100 m/s² thrust T 10.6829 N=kg*m/s²
air density rho 1.2230 kg/m^3 impulse I 2.4960 N*s=kg*m/s
drag coef cd 0.7500 boost mass mb 0.04344 kg
rocket body mr 0.0288 kg coast mass mc 0.04188 kg
engine empty ee 0.0131 kg burnout time tau 0.23364 s
propellant mp 0.0031 kg velocity b vt 53.97011 m/s
rocket total mt 0.0450 kg altitude b hb 6.37419 m
engine init me 0.0162 kg altitude c hc 88.73626 m
propellant p% 6.9333 % altitude t ht 95.11045 m
mass flow mü 0.0134 kg/s coast time tc 3.92459 s
exhaust v vex 800.0000 m/s max velocity vkm/h 194.29240 km/h
diameter d 0.0250 m max air drag Fd 0.65574 N=kg*m/s²
c-s-area A 0.00049 m² check
drag factor k 0.00023 kg/m burnout time tau 0.23364486 s
q 213.4473 m/s
qc² -1824.93776
qa 42.7193 m/s
p 2.2124 1/s
Influence of Exhaust Velocity
250
200
150
m/s m
100
50
0
500 750 1000 1250 1500 1750 2000 2250
Exhaust Velocity in m/s
vt hb hc ht
Influence of Mass Flow
100
90
80
70
60
m/s m
50
40
30
20
10
0
0.0020 0.0040 0.0060 0.0080 0.0100 0.0120 0.0140
Mass Flow in kg/s
vt hb hc ht
Influence of Propellant Mass
350
300
250
200
m/s m
150
100
50
0
0.0000 0.0020 0.0040 0.0060 0.0080 0.0100 0.0120 0.0140
mp in kg
vt hb hc ht