Flight calculations

Works like MATLAB or a Jupyter notebook. Predict a test rocket's burnout speed and apogee from its motor data, with and without drag, then check a drone's lift.

Flight test desk

Basin Ridge EngineeringNot checked yet

QuickCruit Compute

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/projects/aero_calcs

aero_calcs
aero_calcs.qclive

Type: Live script
Cells: 4
Last run: Not yet

Workspace

Name	Value	Unit

Run the script to fill the workspace.

aero_calcs.qclive

How this notebook works
Write a number with its unit straight after it: 1.62 kg, 66 mm, 9.81 m/s^2. The notebook checks units as it goes and converts for you, so v to km/h shows a speed in km/h, and adding metres to seconds stops with a message.
Lists look like [0, 0.1, 0.25] s, ranges like 0:0.01:2, and positions count from 1, so x[1] is the first value. A one-line function reads area(d) = pi * d^2 / 4. Loops read for k in 1:10 or while v >= 0 m/s, and close with end.
Ctrl or Cmd + Enter runs every cell, top to bottom, with shared variables.

[1]

# The rocket: Kestrel
m0 = 1.41 kg                              # liftoff mass, motor loaded
mp = 0.26 kg                              # propellant, burns off evenly over the burn
tb = 1.5 s                                # burn time
t_thr = [0, 0.1, 0.25, 0.9, 1.27, 1.5] s  # motor test stand
F_thr = [141, 166, 149, 133, 75, 0] N
Cd = 0.54                                 # drag coefficient, from the wind tunnel
d = 86 mm                                 # body diameter

# The launch site: Juniper Flats
h_site = 1850 m                           # pad elevation above sea level

# The survey drone
m_uav = 2.9 kg
S = 0.39 m^2                              # wing area
CL = 1.29                                 # lift coefficient at takeoff
v_to = 46 km/h                            # takeoff speed, from the spec sheet

# The rocket: Kestrel
m0 = 1.41 kg                              # liftoff mass, motor loaded
mp = 0.26 kg                              # propellant, burns off evenly over the burn
tb = 1.5 s                                # burn time
t_thr = [0, 0.1, 0.25, 0.9, 1.27, 1.5] s  # motor test stand
F_thr = [141, 166, 149, 133, 75, 0] N
Cd = 0.54                                 # drag coefficient, from the wind tunnel
d = 86 mm                                 # body diameter

# The launch site: Juniper Flats
h_site = 1850 m                           # pad elevation above sea level

# The survey drone
m_uav = 2.9 kg
S = 0.39 m^2                              # wing area
CL = 1.29                                 # lift coefficient at takeoff
v_to = 46 km/h                            # takeoff speed, from the spec sheet

Your answers
Store each in the name the task asks for: I_total, rho_site, h_nodrag, v_bo, h_apogee, L_takeoff and v_min. Add as many cells as you like.
[2]
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# Your work starts here

 
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# Your work starts here Tab indents. To move focus out of the cell, press Escape, then Tab.

Command window

Run the script, or type a command after the prompt. It sees the script's variables.

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SI units

Range safety wants our predicted apogee for the Kestrel in writing before Saturday's flight from Juniper Flats, pad elevation 1850 m. The thrust table from the test stand, the masses and the wind tunnel drag coefficient are in the first code cell.

Work out the total impulse and the air density at the pad, then fly it twice: once with no drag as a sanity check, once with drag. I need burnout speed and apogee.

The survey drone flies from the same field that day. Check its lift at takeoff speed and the slowest speed it can hold.

Name answers the way the notes do. They go on the flight card as they are.

Basin Ridge Engineering is a made-up company. A practice scenario, built for you.

The motor's total impulse, from its thrust table, in I_total (N·s)
Air density at the pad from the standard atmosphere, in rho_site (kg/m^3)
Simulate the flight with drag switched off: apogee above the pad in h_nodrag (m)
Now with drag and the ISA density at each height: burnout speed in v_bo (m/s) and apogee in h_apogee (m)
The drone: lift at takeoff speed in L_takeoff (N), and the slowest level-flight speed at the pad in v_min (m/s)

Checking runs the whole notebook first, then reads your named answers. Write units in and the notebook keeps them straight.

# The rocket: Kestrel m0 = 1.41 kg # liftoff mass, motor loaded mp = 0.26 kg # propellant, burns off evenly over the burn tb = 1.5 s # burn time t_thr = [0, 0.1, 0.25, 0.9, 1.27, 1.5] s # motor test stand F_thr = [141, 166, 149, 133, 75, 0] N Cd = 0.54 # drag coefficient, from the wind tunnel d = 86 mm # body diameter # The launch site: Juniper Flats h_site = 1850 m # pad elevation above sea level # The survey drone m_uav = 2.9 kg S = 0.39 m^2 # wing area CL = 1.29 # lift coefficient at takeoff v_to = 46 km/h # takeoff speed, from the spec sheet

Flight calculations

How this notebook works

Your answers

How this notebook works

Your answers