Rocket Research

What are the laws of motion?

The three laws of motion, first seen in created my Sir Isaac Newton over 300 years ago,
were established to describe the interaction or relationship between large bodies and forces
that act upon them. The first law, “Every object in a state of uniform motion tends to
remain in that state of motion unless an external force is applied to it.” Simply means that
objects cannot start or stopped by itself unless it is moved by an external force. (Jim L,
2017). For example, a rock cannot move by itself, however it can be moved by being pushed
or pulled by another object. The second rule, “Force is equal to the change in momentum
(mV) per change in time. For a constant mass, force equals mass times acceleration.” this
law describes what happens when an external force acts upon a massive body. Written in a
mathematic form, it is shown as F=m*a, force representing the F, mass representing the m
and acceleration representing the a (Jim L, 2017) The bold letters are vector quantities
meaning that both have magnitude and direction. “The force can be a single force, or it can
be the vector sum of more than one force, which is the net force after all the forces are
combined.” (Jim L, 2017, para 7). The third law “For every action there is an equal and
opposite reaction.” This means that, every physical action has an opposite reaction no
matter if the object is big or small. For example, if object A pushes object B, object B then
exerts an equal reaction to object A (NASA,2015). This can be shown in real life, for example
when gravity pulls you to the ground, the ground pushes up at your feet (Jim L, 2017). Since
forces appear in pairs, when on force pushes another, “the second body pushes back just as
hard.” (Jim L, 2017, para 9). The three laws of motion are laws that describe the relationship
between large bodies and forces and are used today to describe the mechanics of everyday
life.

What are the basic elements of flight?

The basic elements of flight are thrust, drag, weight and lift. These are the basic elements
that keep an aircraft flying straight, level and flying at a constant speed. These rules apply to
everything that can fly, such as birds and butterflies, e.c.t (Air classics, 2003).
Thrust
Thrust is the force which is responsible for moving an aircraft through the air. As drag and
thrust are opposites, it is used to overcome the drag of an aircraft or overcome the weight
of a rocket. To produce thrust, the propulsion system must be in contact with a working
fluid physically, as it is a mechanical force. “Thrust is generated most often through the
reaction of accelerating a mass of gas.” Therefore, you will need to have to cause a reaction
from accelerating gas to create thrust to be able to keep the rocket from falling as it pushes
the rocket up. (NASA, 2015)
Lift
Lift is the force that goes against weight and holds an aircraft in the air. Like all forces lift is a
vector quantitiy. It is generated from every part of the plane however; it is mostly generated
by the wings. Through the centre of pressure, lift is directed perpendicular to the flow of the
direction. Lift occurs when a solid object changes a moving flow of gas, as air is a gas, the
molecules are free to move freely and any solid object can deflect the flow. Since lift is a
mechanical force it must be generated through the interaction of the force and a solid body
of fluid (liquid or gas). To create lift, it must be in contact with a fluid, without a fluid there is
no lift same as if there was no air. In order to produce lift there must be motion between
the object and the fluid, this causes the motion to go perpendicular to the lift. (NASA, 2015)
Drag
“Drag is the aerodynamic force that opposes an aircraft's motion through the air.” (NASA,
2015, para.1). Drag is generated from every part of the plane, including the engine. Since
drag is a mechanical force, like every other mechanical force it must have physical contact
with a fluid. Drag is generated from the difference of velocity between a solid object and a
fluid and must have motion between them. Without the fluid or motion there is no drag.
Drag is considered aerodynamic friction and one of the sources of drag is the skin friction
between the molecules of the air and the surface of the aircraft. For the solid a smooth firm
surface, it causes less skin friction than a rough surface. For the gas, the viscosity of the air
determines the magnitude and the relative magnitude of viscous forces to the motion of the
flow. “Along the solid surface, a boundary layer of low energy flow is generated and the
magnitude of the skin friction depends on conditions in the boundary layer.” (NASA, 2015,
para.4). When air flows around a body, the local velocity and pressure is changed. Pressure
is a measure of the momentum of gas molecules. This produces a force. Drag is the
aerodynamic force that is opposed to motion; the common perpendicular motion to drag is
lift. Both forces act through the centre of pressure of the object. (NASA, 2015)

Weight
Weight is the force that is generated by the gravitational pull of the earth on an aircraft.
Since each of us have our own weight, it is most known out of all forces as we can just
measure our weight on our bathroom scales. Weight is fundamentally different from other
aerodynamic forces like lift and drag. Weight is a mechanical force and needs to be in
contact with air in order to be established. Since the gravitational pull is a field force, the
source of the force does not need to be in contact with the object to generate the pull to
the ground. The gravitational pull between two objects depends on their mass and the
square of direction between them. Greater forces are created by greater objects and the
farther apart the objects are the weaker the attraction. Since weight is a force it is also a
vector quantity meaning that it has both magnitude and direction. The magnitude of the
force depends on the parts of the plane or rocket itself, the amount of fuel, and payload on-
board (people, luggage e.c.t.) Since the fuel is constantly burning up the weight of the flight
changes over time so pilots must constantly change flight controls to keep the flight
balanced. To fly properly we must overcome the weight of an object with some opposing
force, and to be able to control the aircraft in flight. (NASA, 2015)

Explain the aerodynamics that might affect your rocket?

The amount of air resistance that changes a rockets motion depends mostly on the nose
cone, the diameter of the rocket and the speed of the rocket. The nose cone and fins are
designed to minimise drag caused by the rocket and provide stability and control. If the
speed of the rocket is less than the speed of sound, then a rounded curve is the best shape
for a nose cone. If the rocket flies faster than the speed of sound, then it is best if the shape
has a narrower and sharper point. More air is pushed out the way when rockets with a
larger diameter have more drag. The narrower the rocket the less drag it creates. The
stability of a rocket is the ability to fly towards a certain direction without waddling or
tumbling. Model rockets create stability with fins. Fins also help control the direction,
meaning that it helps the rocket or plane fly in a straight line. “The single point where all
aerodynamics are concentrated is the centre of pressure.” (Science learning hub, 2018,
para. 4). To increase stability, the centre of mass can be moved closer to the nose cone. This
adds mass near the nose cone and therefore increases stability. For a rocket to be all stable
the centre of pressure needs to be closer to the tail end, at the opposite end of the tube,
away from the centre of mass. If the centre of mass is in the same place as the centre of
pressure the rocket will tumble. The stability increases from the distance the two increases.
This can create a lot of drag therefore; the fin size must be perfect in order for the rocket to
have more stability without having too much drag. (The science learning hub, 2018).

What is terminal velocity?

Terminal velocity, is the steady speed of an object as it is free falls either through a liquid or
gas. An object that is dropped from high up will gradually increase its speed until it reaches
terminal velocity however, an object that was forced to pass its terminal velocity, will force
to slow down the frequent velocity. When terminal velocity is achieved, the speed no longer
increases or decreases therefore the object’s acceleration or deceleration is 0. “At terminal
velocity, air resistance equals in magnitude the weight of the falling object.” (The editors of
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2018) because of this, the total force of an is object is zero and
the speed of the object has become constant, since both magnitude and weight are
opposites. The speed of a falling object Is approximately proportional to the force of the air
resistance, “so that air resistance increases for an object that is accelerating, having been
dropped from rest until terminal velocity is reached.” (The editors of Encyclopaedia
Britannica, 2018, para 2)

What is the formula for kinetic energy?

Kinetic energy is a form of energy that an object has by the reason of its motion. The
formula for kinetic energy is K.E. ½ m𝒗2 . The m represents mass, and v represents the speed
of the object. This equation means that the kinetic energy of an object is directly
proportional to the square of its speed. Since the kinetic energy depends on the square of
the speed the kinetic energy will increase by a factor of four for a twofold increase in speed.
For a fourfold increase in speed, the kinetic energy will to be increased to a factor of 16.
Since kinetic energy is a scalar quantity, it does not have a direction unlike, velocity,
acceleration, force and momentum. The standard metric measurement associated with
kinetic energy is the joule. 1 joule is equivalent to 1kg 𝑚2 /𝑠 2 (the physics classroom, 2018).

List all the components necessary to build a model rocket

Required Materials
scissors
pencil
Hot glue gun and glue
3D printer
Sand paper
ruler
Razor
Elastic
 Components Materials
Nosecone Plastic
Shock cord string
Launch lug Plastic straw
Parachute Cotton string, and a pillow case
Engine B6-4 engine
Fins Bolster wood
Rocket body Glad wrap roll
Motor Mount Balsa wood
(Beach. T, n.d)

What are the main stages or rocket systems of building a rocket?

The main stages for building a rocket are the design of the nose cone, fin design and
attachment and the main body structure. The shape of the nose cone affects how high the
rocket will go, the speed and affects the amount of drag the rocket experiences.
(aerospaceweb.org, n.d) The fin design gives the rocket stability during flight. If a rocket
does not have fins it would come tumbling down after leaving the launcher due to the way
that aerodynamics and forces, like wind, act upon the rocket. At least three fins are needed
to keep a rocket stable however, there is no need to have more than four fins. Three fins are
often used when designing a high performance, low drag rocket. This lets interference drag
be reduced by 25%. A rocket with four fins are easier to align and attach and create a much
neater alignment (Richard, n.d). The main body structure houses the engine and the
recovery system (the parachute).
The main rocket systems are the recovery system (the parachute) and the engine system.
The recovery system or the parachute determines whether the model rocket comes back
down to earth safely or crashes down violently. A parachute does this by trapping air in the
half cut balloon like fabric during the fall. When this happens the trapped air creates a push
upwards that works again gravity. This slows down the parachute. The engine system
creates a thrust which is transmitted through the rocket body through the engine mount.
Rocket engines are reaction engines, meaning that they follow Newton’s third law "to every
action there is an equal and opposite reaction." A rocket engine is throws mass in one
direction and benefits from the reaction, pushing itself up and into the air as a result
(Marshall,2005)
What variations of model rockets engines exist?
There are two different types of model rocket engines, one is called a black powder model
rocket engine and the other is called a composite model rocket engine. Black powder
rockets have been used for centuries and has been said to be invented by the Chinese, 1300
years ago (Mike, 2016). Black powder which is also known as “gun powder” is a form of
carbon like coal and charcoal, and is to some extent a fuel however, it is mostly a sort of
melting flux that helps burn other ingredients. Although considered explosive and
dangerous, gun Powder is an excellent rocket propellant, in fact it is the same propellant
that they use in models rockets in shops as it is apparently considered “safe”. To keep it safe
and carefully controlled you must pack the gunpowder into a solid stick, a form which it can
burn at a predictable rate. (what-when-how.com, para. 1)

Even though composite rocket engines are expensive they are indeed 3 times more
powerful than a black powder rocket engine. A composite rocket engine’s fuel is a pellet like
material similar to what is used in a space shuttle booster engine. The interior of the engine
is as much the same as a black powder engine. Composite model rockets tend to fly higher
as they are more powerful than black powder rock engines. (lunar.org, para 9)
What are the various sizes of black powder engines?
There are many sizes of black powder rocket engines. As seen in the table
below there are a variety of different sizes depending on your rocket, however,
A B and C are considered the “standard” size. Each value doubles each time.
For example, A = 100, B = 200, C = 400 e.c.t. This just indicates that as each size
goes up so does the amount of power the engine has. The table below shows
all sizes of black powder rocket engines. The standard size measures up to 70
mm in length and 18mm in width.

According CASA, what regulations exist regarding the use of model rockets
The basic rules:
* Your small model rocket must weigh less than 500g; either carry less than 25g propellant,
or produce less than 20 Newton-seconds of impulse; and be made of balsa, wood, paper or
plastics or a combination of those materials, but contain no metal as structural parts
* Do not operate in a movement area or runway of an aerodrome, or the approach or
departure path of an aerodrome without approval.
* Do not operate in a manner that is hazardous to persons, property or aircraft.
* When launching larger model rockets, refer to Part 101 of the Civil Aviation Safety
Regulations 1998 (CASRs).
* Consider the benefits of approved rocket areas. Read the safety information available
through clubs and associations.
* Your rocket must comply with the model rocket safety code.
CASA states, the following three things

 Small model rockets: or low power rocketry (LPR) weigh less than 500 grams and
carry less than 25 grams of propellant. They produce about 20 Newton- seconds (Ns)
per impulse. This type of rocket does not have a permit therefore it can fly almost as
high as it wants and almost wherever it wants to go.
 Model rockets: or medium power rocketry (MPR) weigh between 500 grams and
1500 grams and carry less than 125 grams of propellant. They produce less than 320
Newton-seconds per impulse. In a controlled airspace is can fly up to 121.7 meters
AGL. You will need to have a CASA issued instrument in this case, with rules to abide
by. If in the case that you are outside a controlled airspace, rockets can be flown to
any altitude that is below the controlled airspace for example, if the controlled
airspace is 500 metres AGL then the rocket but stay below that limit.
 High power rockets: or high power rocketry (HPR) weigh less than 1500 grams and or
can have more than 62.5 grams of propellant in an individual engine or produce
more than 160 Newton- seconds in an individual engine. Regardless of the height
you want to fly the rocket to. YOU MUST have a CASA issued instrument operate the
high power rockets.

What is the maximum height model rockets can reach without a permit?
What size rocket engine do you hypothesize will be used for your project
based on your knowledge from the previous questions?
A. CASA states the following in relation to the height model rockets are permitted to
fly:
The maximum height a rocket can go without a permit, depends on whether the
area in a controlled space. Without a permit, the maximum operating height is at
above 121.7 metres AGL (above ground level) in a controlled air space. A maximum
roof height in a controlled air space can go up to 600 m AGL. This has to be in an area
approved under regulation 101.030 (in CASR part 101 – Unmanned aircraft and
rockets) as an area for the operation of unmanned aircraft of the same class as the
aircraft concerned, and in accordance with any conditions of the approval. Taking in
consideration of my measurements (CASR, 2018).
B. Since the length of my rocket is 34 cm long I have small model rocket (SMR).
Therefore, I hypothesize that my black powder engine can either be A, B or C. Since it
is a small model rocket it has no permit which means it can it can be launched
anywhere with common sense and if it isn’t going to harm anyone in the process.
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