Performance of a Single Stage Model Rocket

[cdeaglejr]

For a user-defined rocket engine, aerodynamic characteristics and launch site conditions this HP Prime program determines the flight performance of a single stage model rocket.

Program inputs
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altitude at launch site (meters)
temperature at launch site (degrees F)
thrust duration of rocket engine (seconds)
total impulse of rocket engine (newtons)
rocket engine propellant mass (grams)
frontal diameter of rocket (millimeters)
drag coefficient of rocket (non-dimensional)

Program output
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burnout altitude (meters)
burnout velocity (meters per second)
burnout mass (grams)
coast time (seconds)
total flight time (seconds)
maximum altitude (meters)

EXAMPLE INPUT (Estes B-4 rocket engine)
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// launch site altitude (meters)

alt_site := 100.0;

// launch site temperature (degrees F)

temp_site := 70.0;

// rocket engine total impulse (newtons-second)

total_impulse := 4.29;

// rocket engine thrust duration (seconds)

thrust_duration := 1.03;

// rocket engine propellant mass (grams)

mprop := 6.0;

// initial vehicle mass (grams)

massi := 40.0;

// frontal diameter (millimeters)

fdiameter := 18.0;

// drag coefficient (non-dimensional)

cdrag := 0.321;