Modelling & Simulation 2: Resit Coursework
Task Details & Instructions: Spacecraft
You are a parachute designer working for the European Space Agency and you are required
to design an excel spreadsheet to test the consequences of changing the effective cross-
sectional area of the parachute, AP, to be used on a spacecraft when it is returning to earth
from space. Your program should be able to take user input data of the spacecraft mass,
m, spacecraft cross-sectional area, As, the parachute effective cross-sectional area, AP,
and spacecraft height above earth, H.
Write a report (maximum 4 pages) to include the sections below and use your program to
answer the questions that are included. Please also include your excel spreadsheet.
Section 1: Introduction to the problem [5 marks]
Section 2: Description of your method of solution (plan of your
calculation please use a diagram with some description) [25 marks]
Section 3: Your Excel Spreadsheet (structure, accuracy, annotation) [25 marks]
Section 4: Answers to the following questions for a 850kg spacecraft with
an effective cross-sectional area of 5m2 beginning at 150km
above earth with an initial velocity of 0m/s.
Qu1: If the spacecraft accelerates towards earth due to the [5 marks]
gravitational pull what will be its velocity, V, when it is 100km
above earth? Hint: no air resistance (no FD)
Qu2: If the spacecraft continued travelling from the conditions [10 marks]
described in Qu1 and the parachute failed to open what
would be its impact velocity with the earth, V? Also what
would be the time of flight from 100km above earths
surface to impact, T?
Qu3: If a parachute with an effective area of 150m2 was [10 marks]
deployed at 3km above the earth’s surface what would be
the impact velocity, V? Also what would be its total time of
travel from 150km to impact after parachute deployment, T ?
Qu4: Using the conditions from Qu3 what is the minimum height [10 marks]
that the parachute can be deployed, Hmin, to achieve the
minimum impact velocity, Vmin? Also state the minimum
impact velocity, Vmin.
Qu5: If the maximum impact velocity of the spacecraft is 10m/s [5 marks]
what is the minimum effective area of the parachute, Ap?
Section 5: Conclusion [5 marks]
Understanding the Physics of the Problem
There are three phases to the journey, freefall no atmosphere, freefall with atmosphere (no
parachute) and with parachute. FD
m
a
1. W
(a) (b) (c) (d)
Figure 1. Stages of a landing crafts return journey to earth, (a) freefall no atmosphere, (b)
freefall with atmosphere, (c) descent with parachute and (d) free-body diagram showing
forces acting on a body in free fall
Modelling & Simulation 2: Resit Coursework
Using F = ma gives W – FD = ma (Eq1)
Where W = mg (Eq2)
m = mass of spacecraft in kg
g = (40x107)/(6371+H)2 in m/s2
FD = drag force in newtons
a = acceleration of the spacecraft in m/s2
H = height of spacecraft above the earth in km
Drag force is proportional to velocity and is given by:-
1
𝐹𝐷 = ∙ 𝐶 ∙ 𝜌 ∙ 𝐴 ∙ 𝑣 2 (Eq3)
2
Where C = drag coefficient = 0.7
𝜌 = air density = 0 for H>100km
𝜌 = air density = - H/71 + 1.4 in kg/m3 for 0<H<100km
v = velocity of spacecraft in m/s
A = effective cross-sectional area, ASpacecraft = 5m2 , AParachute = ?
Remember that the acceleration of the spacecraft, a, will change during their journey.
So you will need to calculate velocity and displacement changes based on small time steps
with constant acceleration (if the time step is relatively small acceleration could be assumed
to be constant for the small time step even though it is changing over a larger time period).
Formulae for displacement, s, and velocity, v may be useful.
1
𝑠 = 𝑢𝑡 + 𝑎𝑡 2 (Eq4)
2
𝑣 = 𝑢 + 𝑎𝑡 (Eq5)
where s = displacement
u = initial velocity
v = final velocity
a = acceleration
t = time taken
Assessment Criteria: Modelling & Simulation 2: Resit Coursework
Analyse real world situations critically, Use Find, evaluate, synthesise and use information
systems and scenario thinking
Introduction (5%) Method: Plan of Excel Calculation Question 1 (5%) Question 2 (10%) Question 3 (10%) Question 4 (10%) Question 5 (5%) Conclusions (5%)
Program (25%) (25%)
Is an introduction Is a plan included Excel spreadsheet is Incorrect Incorrect Incorrect Incorrect Incorrect Is a conclusion
included included: included
0-5% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
0-2% 0-5% 0-2%
Explains what the Shows stages of Includes above plus Correct T correct T correct Hmin Correct Ap Correct Does the conclusion
exercise is trying to input, calculation and describe quantified
achieve? results Evidence of correct 5% 5% 5% 50% 5% results relating to
6-10% implementation of the aim of the
3% space travel stage exercise?
6-10%
3%
Includes above plus Includes above plus V correct V correct Vmin Correct
shows evidence of Evidence of correct 5% 5% 5%
applying the physics implementation of
of the problem freefall stage in the
correctly atmosphere
11-15% 11-15%
Bonus Marks Includes above plus Includes above plus V & T correct V & T correct Vmin & Hmin Bonus Marks
Correct
Good level of shows application of Evidence of correct 10% 10% Good level of
English programming implementation of 10% English
0-2% operations (time parachute descent 0-2%
steps, functions etc) stage
16-20% 16-20%
Includes above plus Bonus marks
Clearly laid out for Excel sheet is
the reader to annotated clearly
understand or uses a and there is a good
flow chart structure structure to the
21-25% calculation.
0-5%