APPLICATIONS OF

CALCULUS IN ROCKET
SCIENCE
 ANANT UPADHIYAY
 ANUSHA SINGH
 SHIVANSHII GOEL
 INTRODUCTION

Astronomers use calculus extensively to predict the motion of planets,

To set the orbits for spaceship and to calculate the relationship between the
fuel and the rocket. The project take into account both the physical
phenomenon and the mathematical approach.
This states they go hand in hand in building a rocket.
 Differentiation 

A differentiable function of a real variable is a function whose derivative is at each point in its domain.
The graph of a differentiable function has a non-vertical tangent line at each interior point in its domain.
The derivative is the amount a function changes at a given point on a graph.

In our project our main focus is on rocket science and how diffrential calculus helps in determining the
journey of a rocket. 
 INTEGRATION 

Integration is the inverse process of differentiation. instead of differentiating a

function we are given the derivative of a function and asked to find its primitive
which is the original function.
After finding the resulted the rocket equation after the loss of fuel,
Integration comes into play.
We integrate the equations to get  our final  ideal rocket equation.
 PRINCIPLE OF ROCKET
It is based on Newton’s third law of motion stating
every action has an equal and opposite reaction.
the engine burns fuel and produces exhaust gas. The
pressure in the chamber  the forces exhaust gas out 
causing a counter reaction to the rocket.
• The problem has the mass and velocity of the rocket changing; also, the
total mass of ejected gases is changing. If we define our system to be the
rocket + fuel, then this is a closed system (since the rocket is in deep space,
there are no external forces acting on this system); as a result, momentum is
conserved for this system. Thus, we can apply conservation of momentum
to answer the question (Figure).
• Here’s a description of what happens, so that you get a feel for the
physics involved.

• As the rocket engines operate, they are continuously ejecting burned fuel gases, which have
both mass and velocity, and therefore some momentum. By conservation of momentum, the
rocket’s momentum changes by this same amount (with the opposite sign). We will assume the
burned fuel is being ejected at a constant rate, which means the rate of change of the rocket’s
momentum is also constant. By Figure, this represents a constant force on the rocket.
• However, as time goes on, the mass of the rocket (which includes the mass
of the remaining fuel) continuously decreases. Thus, even though the force
on the rocket is constant, the resulting acceleration is not; it is continuously
increasing.
• So, the total change of the rocket’s velocity will depend on the amount of
mass of fuel that is burned, and that dependence is not linear.
 WHAT IS TSOILKOSVSKY ROCKET
EQUATION?
• A formula that relates the speed of the expelled gas and the mass of rocket
and fuel and the initial and final velocity of rocket.
•  The classical rocket equation, or ideal rocket equation, is a mathematical
equation that describes the motion of a vehicle according to the basic
principles of rocketry. Any device that can be accelerated by thrust by ejecting
part of its mass at high speed can be moved with it. This is because of the law
of conservation of momentum. It is believed to have been independently
derived and published in 1903 by Russian scientist Konstantin Tsiolkovsky
APPLICATION OF CALCULUS IN THE ROCKET
SCIENCE
• Astronomers use calculus to calculate the relationship between the fuel and the rocket. 
• The second and third laws of motion framed by newton are applied.
•  A rocket's mass decreases in time as the fuel burns off. As the rocket ignites, it experiences a very large
acceleration toward the ground, which propels the rocket forward according to the third law of motion.
The force that pushes the rocket upwards is called thrust. Thrust can be defined as the rate of change of
momentum. It is also the first derivative of momentum.
•  The problem is that the mass and velocity of the rocket change; the total mass of ejected gases is also
changing. If we define our system to be the rocket + fuel, then this is a closed system (since the rocket is
in deep space, no external forces are acting on this system); as a result, momentum is conserved for this
system. Thus, we can apply the conservation of momentum 
ROCKET EQUATION
 This result is called the rocket equation. It was
originally derived by the Soviet physicist Konstantin
Tsiolkovsky in 1897.
 APPLICATIONS OF
ROCKET EQUATIONS

The relationship between the

mass ratio and the ratio
between the velocity change
and the velocity of exhaust gas: 
 Therefore, at a certain exhaust gas’s speed and a
certain empty rocket’s mass the more fuel is added,
the greater the velocity changes. However, as the
mass ratio increases the rate of change decreases.
ROCKET IN GRAVITATIONAL FIELD

Let’s now analyze the velocity change of the

rocket during the launch phase 
 Conclusion

• Calculus has been used in the astronomy since 17 century

• Integration plays a vital role in obtaining the Tsiolkovsky rocket equation
because many changing variables need to be considered. And that is why we
use differential equations. at the end the calculus plays an important role in
the astronomy field and in building these air borne spaceships to explorer
the universe