[Paper Review] Model Rocket Project for Aerospace Engineering Course: Trajectory Simulation and Propellant Analysis

Thomas A. Campbell, Masataka Okutsu|arXiv (Cornell University)|Aug 7, 2017

Experimental and Theoretical Physics Studies14 references3 citations

TL;DR

This paper presents a university-level aerospace engineering course project using model rockets to teach trajectory simulation and propellant analysis. Students developed numerical models to predict flight performance, validated with experimental data, achieving altitudes up to 500 m and descent times of 2–3 minutes, with wind variability identified as the primary source of landing prediction error.

ABSTRACT

Model rockets have been employed in student projects, but very few papers in aerospace education offer concise summaries of activities at university-course levels. This paper aims to address this gap in the literature. The rockets used by our students reached some 500 m (~1,640 feet) in altitude, deployed a parachute, and spent 2-3 minutes descending to the ground. We present a series of analyses and experiments that students performed in order to predict the flight time, the maximum altitude, and the landing location of these rockets. They wrote computer programs to numerically integrate equations of motion, and experimentally measured input parameters (e.g., the thrust profile and drag coefficients). Once launched, these rockets could not be controlled; targeting the landing location would thus mean tilting the launch rail to a required angle. The largest source of error in landing location came from the difficulty in modeling wind velocities. Also discussed in this paper are the infrared spectroscopy and the extraction experiment as novel additions to model rocket projects.

Motivation & Objective

• To address the lack of comprehensive university-level model rocket project documentation in aerospace education.
• To develop a hands-on curriculum integrating trajectory simulation and propellant analysis for undergraduate aerospace engineering students.
• To enable students to predict key flight parameters such as maximum altitude, flight duration, and landing location using numerical integration.
• To improve student understanding of real-world flight dynamics through experimental measurement of thrust profiles and drag coefficients.
• To introduce novel laboratory components, including infrared spectroscopy and propellant extraction experiments, into model rocket projects.

Proposed method

• Students wrote computer programs to numerically integrate the equations of motion for model rockets under gravity, drag, and thrust forces.
• Experimental thrust profiles were measured using force sensors to calibrate the simulation inputs.
• Drag coefficients were determined through wind tunnel testing or empirical estimation based on rocket geometry.
• Parachute deployment and descent phases were modeled using drag-dominated equations of motion.
• Infrared spectroscopy was applied to analyze propellant composition, and extraction experiments were conducted to study solid fuel characteristics.
• Launch rail tilt was used to simulate targeting, with wind conditions treated as a variable input to assess prediction accuracy.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 How accurately can numerical integration of the equations of motion predict the maximum altitude and flight duration of a model rocket?
• RQ2 What is the impact of wind variability on the accuracy of landing location prediction in unguided model rocket flights?
• RQ3 How do experimentally measured thrust profiles and drag coefficients affect the fidelity of trajectory simulations?
• RQ4 To what extent can infrared spectroscopy and propellant extraction experiments enhance the educational value of model rocket projects?
• RQ5 How effective is rail tilt as a method for controlling the landing location of unguided model rockets?

Key findings

• Model rockets achieved maximum altitudes of approximately 500 m (1,640 feet) during flight tests.
• Descent times ranged from 2 to 3 minutes, consistent with parachute deployment and drag-dominated descent modeling.
• The largest source of error in predicting landing location was the difficulty in accurately modeling wind velocity profiles.
• Numerical simulations using measured thrust and drag data showed good agreement with observed flight performance.
• Incorporating infrared spectroscopy and propellant extraction experiments provided novel, hands-on insights into solid propellant composition and combustion behavior.
• Rail tilt was effective for coarse targeting, but wind unpredictability limited precision in landing location control.