1. R OCKET S IMULATORS By Howard Smart

2. C ONTENTS Introduction to Rockets Introduction to Rocket Simulators An introduction to each simulator and how they are used Open Rocket Win Sim Rocket Modeler III

3. I NTRODUCTION TO R OCKETS

4. Launch Lug - are small tubes which are attached to the body tube. Launch rail is inserted through these tubes to provide stability to the rocket during launch. Shock Cord - is connected to both the body tube and the nose cone and is used to keep all the parts of the rocket together during recovery. Recovery wadding - is inserted between the engine mount and the recovery system to prevent the hot gas of the ejection charge from damaging the recovery system.

5. R OCKET S IMULATOR I NTRODUCTION What are rocket simulators? Rocket simulators are programmed software that allow end-users to enter attributes about a rocket and launch conditions in order to better foresee the outcome of a launch

6. R OCKET S IMULATOR I NTRODUCTION Why use rocket simulators? Construction of rockets are costly and so are the payloads that they carry. It would not be wise to blindly launch an expensive rocket because there is a high risk that the rocket may become damaged. In order to circumvent unnecessarily damaging the rockets, professionals use simulators to ensure that launches have higher success rates.

7. OPEN ROCKET Introduction: Downloadable software Open Source (free) Staging and clustering support Cross-platform (Java-based)

8. OPEN ROCKET Body components and fin sets: Inner components:

9. OPEN ROCKET Mass objects: Motor configuration:

10. OPEN ROCKET Motor selection:

11. OPEN ROCKET Rocket display:

12. OPEN ROCKET Flight simulation: During & after simulation:

13. OPEN ROCKET Simulation analysis:

14. WIN SIM Introduction: Downloadable software Open Source (free) Staging and clustering support Cross-platform (Java-based)

15. WIN SIM Rocket parameters:

16. WIN SIM Motor selection:

17. WIN SIM Environment conditions:

18. WIM SIM Rocket display:

19. WIN SIM Simulation options:

20. WIN SIM Flight simulation: During & after simulation:

21. WIN SIM Simulation analysis:

22. ROCKET MODELER III Introduction: Web-based / Downloadable software Open Source (free) Staging and clustering support Cross-platform (Java-based)

23. ROCKET MODELER III More about RMIII: The Rocket Modeler III simulator was developed by the National Aeronautics and space Administration (NASA) Rocket Modeler III is an expansion to Rocket Modeler II now maintaining the ability to calculate the drag coefficient for each rocket design

24. ROCKET MODELER III Drag Coefficient: The drag coefficient is a number that engineers use to model all of the complex dependencies of shape and flow conditions on rocket drag. This equation is simply a rearrangement of the drag equation where we solve for the drag coefficient in terms of the other variables. The drag coefficient Cd is equal to the drag D divided by the quantity: density r times half the velocity V squared times the reference area A. Cd = D / (.5 * r * V^2 * A)

25. ROCKET MODELER III The Drag Coefficient Formula:

26. ROCKET MODELER III Rocket parameters:

27. ROCKET MODELER III Rocket display:

28. ROCKET MODELER III Simulation display:

29. ROCKET MODELER III Simulation analysis:

30. R EFERENCES http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K- 12/rocket/rktsim.html http://openrocket.sourceforge.net/ http://www.telusplanet.net/public/ucluelet/