Rocket Equation,

Dynamics, and
Launching

Ken Chen
COSMOS 2013
C3 Engineering Mechanics

Why Rockets?
Imagine a world where you didnt have these:

Cell phones
Television
Internet
GPS Navigation

Rockets are used for:

Space transportation/exploration
Satellite communications
Military weaponry
Thank rockets!

Parts of a Rocket

http://exploration.grc.nasa.gov/education/rocket/Images/rockpart
if

Forces on a Rocket
On Center of Gravity
(CG)
Weight
Thrust (mostly)

On Center of Pressure
(CP) (Aerodynamic)
Lift
Drag
http://exploration.grc.nasa.gov/education/rocket/rktaero.ht
l

Thrust
Thrust-Newtons third law
Rocket pushes on propellant, propellant pushes back
on rocket

Thrust equation:
F

thrust

m ve ( pe p0 ) Ae

Ways to increase thrust:

Maximize mass flow rate

Maximize exit velocity to incoming velocity

Correction term ( p p ) A
e
0
e
Pressure difference

Drag
Frictional drag
Caused by friction of fluid against the surface
of the body

1 2
Pressure/Form drag
D v AC D
2
Different shapes and sizes
Vortices in the wake of the body

Wave drag
Common at transonic and supersonic speeds
Can reach up to 4x subsonic drag

Control
CP below CG
stable equilibrium
Gimbaled Thrust
Nozzle can be
shifted/rotated;
changes direction
of thrust

Vernier Rocket
Small additional
rocket engines
http://exploration.grc.nasa.gov/education/rocket/rktcontrl.html

Konstantin E. Tsiolkovsky (18571935)

Early education
impaired by
deafness
College Moscow
Studied
mathematics and
science
Monoplane
Wind tunnel
http://www.allstar.fiu.edu/aero/images/Tsiolkovsky.jpg

Tsiolkovskys Contributions
Rocket equation
Still remains the basis of all rocket dynamics
today

Founder of rocket dynamics

Understood dynamics of firework rockets
through math and physics

Anthropocosmism
Humans will dominate space

Inspired several other great minds in

rocketry

Robert H. Goddard (1882-1945)

Masterful physicist
and inventor
Built/tested first
liquid fuel rocket in
1926
Patented multi-stage
rocket in 1914
German V2 missiles
Steering, vanes
http://www.rugusavay.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Robert-Goddard-4.jpg

Tsiolkovsky Rocket Equation

m0
V Veq ln
m
f

Derivation:

Conservation of momentum
dp
F
0
dt

dp p(t dt ) p (t )
m
v

p(t ) m v

(v dv) ve

dm

m dm

p(t dt ) (m dm) (v dv) dm (v dv ve )

dp (m dm) (v dv) dm (v dv ve ) mv
dp mv mv vdm vdm dmdv dmdv mdv ve dm
dp mdv ve dm 0
dp mdv ve dm 0

v dv

Flip sign

Tsiolkovsky Rocket Equation (cont.)

A parallel:

dp mdv ve dm 0
v
dv e dm
m

Newtons Second Law

1
dv

dm
e
v0
m0 m
v f v0 ve (ln(m f ) ln(m0 ))
vf

mf

m0
v ve ln
m
f

Ideal Rocket
Equation

Constant Mass

Fnet m a

Variable Mass

Fnet

d (mv)
dv
dm
m v
dt
dt
dt

Specific Impulse Isp

A way to measure engine efficiency

F
I sp
m g
Can also be used to determine thrust

What actually happens -

Launching
Potentially dangerous
Astronauts bear about 3 gs of acceleration
Requires a high amount of precision
Sound energy can cause damage

Liftoff process
Entire process controlled by computers
Increase in air pressure overstressing
Need enough thrust

Future Rocket Dynamics

Nuclear Propulsion
Abandoned in 1972 (Project Rover)
Comeback?

ANTIMATTER Propulsion
Involves the annihilation of
matter
Efficiency is incomparable
interstellar missions

http://static.ddmcdn.com/gif/antimatter-1.jpg

More on Antimatter Propulsion

When combining electron with anti-electron

Photons (gamma rays) e e 2

Proton with anti-proton

o
Pions p p n n n
Decay into muons and neutrinos
Eventually all annihilate or decay into massless particles,
photons, and neutrinos

Facts
Exhaust velocity ~0.95 c
Storage and production of antiprotons
1 ng/year

Comparison
Apollo 11 took 4 days to reach the moon
In 4 days, a pion antimatter rocket can travel from Earth to
Sun 350 times

References

"Basic Rocket Motion." Guided Tours. Ed. Tom Benson. NASA, n.d. Web. 29
July 2013.
Braeunig, Robert A. "Basics of Space Flight: Rocket Propulsion." Rocket
and Space Technology. N.p., 2012. Web. 29 July 2013.
Brewster, Isaac. "The Physics Behind The Rocket." The Physics of Rockets.
University of Alaska Fairbanks, 31 Oct. 2000. Web. 29 July 2013.
Dunbar, Brian. "Konstantin E. Tsiolkovsky." NASA. NASA, 20 Sept. 2010.
Web. 01 Aug. 2013.
Dunbar, Brian. "Societal Impact of the Space Age." NASA. NASA, 07 Nov.
2005. Web. 29 July 2013.
Dunbar, Brian. "What Is a Rocket?" NASA. NASA, 12 July 2011. Web. 29
July 2013.
Garner, Rob. "Robert H. Goddard." NASA. NASA, 28 July 2013. Web. 01
Aug. 2013.
Hafez, Mohamed M. "COSMOS Engineering Mechanics." COSMOS 2013.
Davis, California. July 2013. Lecture.

References (cont.)

Keith, Edward L. "Fundamentals of Rockets and Missiles." Laurel,

Maryland. Lecture.
Krempetz, Kurt. "Freeflight Trimming." AMA Glider. Academy of Model
Aeronautics, May 2006. Web. 29 July 2013.
Portland State Aerospace Society. "Simple Rocket Science." Simplerockets
1d. Portland State University, 02 Mar. 2010. Web. 29 July 2013.
Qualitative Reasoning Group. "Propulsion." How Are Rockets
Designed? Northwestern University, n.d. Web. 29 July 2013.
Turner, Martin J. L. Rocket and Spacecraft Propulsion: Principles, Practice
and New Developments. Berlin: Springer, 2009. Print.
Walter, Ulrich. Astronautics. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH, 2008. Print.
Wilkinson, Peter. "Rocket Launch and Reentry." Senior Science. St. Francis
Xavier's College, Hamilton, n.d. Web.