Sounding Rocket Flight Analysis
Single-stage analysis with drag and ascent angles; interpolated atmosphere; gravity turn
Innovatia Laboratories
Units conversions
Lagrange Interpolation:
3N(N+1) long ops
Constants and Environmental Functions
Standard atmosphere (taken from Handbook of Physics and Chemistry, 65th Ed.):
Interpolation tables:
vatm in m/s units
Tatm in K units
r
atm in kg/m3 unitshatm in km units
Patm in kPa units
Air pressure as a function of height =
Air temperature as function of height =
Air density as function of height =
Acoustic speed (of sound) as a function of height =
Earth mean radius =
Gravitational acceleration as function of height =
Mission Parameters
Specific Impulse =
Propulsion figure of merit (maximize)
Mass ratio = m0/mb =
Structural figure of merit (maximize)
Thrust ratio = Fr/W0 =
Figure of merit for interaction of propulsion and structure (maximize)
Reaction thrust, Fr, is vacuum thrust of engine
Rocket final mass (at burnout) =
Payload + structure
Nozzle exit diameter =
Airframe transverse surface area =
Nozzle exit pressure =
Drag and Lift Coefficients
Drag coefficient =
Angle of attack (in radians) =
Gravity turn
Lift coefficient =
Initial values
Time starts at
No motion:
Launch angle =
Rotation around longitudinal axis at launch =
Total liftoff mass =
Dynamic pressure at launch =
Effective exhaust speed =
Rocket initial weight =
Rocket final weight =
Propellant initial mass =
Propellant initial weight =
Reaction thrust =
Nozzle exit area =
Propellant burn time =
Propellant burn rate =
Propellant weight burn rate =
Pressure thrust =
Total thrust =
Exhaust speed =
Mach number = v/va(h) =
Iterative calculations for flight
