RockSim

On the digital side, we experimented with a simulator called RockSim. The version we used was RockSim 9, and you can purchase it on here. We also watched tutorials 1-8 on Apogee's website. Notes that I took on these videos are in the google drive folder above.

Using RockSim to simulate Pitsco Rocket:

1) Open RockSim 9 and go to file -> open -> Estes -> Alpha (This will open a pre-designed rocket)

2) To edit the body tube, look under the tab called "Rocket Design Components" and double click on the tab "Body Tube". We changed the inner diameter to 1 in, the outer diameter to 1.1 in., and the length to 11 in.

3) To edit the nose cone, look under the "Rocket Design Components" tab and double click on "Nose cone". It was hard to measure the nose cone, but the dimensions that were the closest to the actual rocket are as followed:

shape = ogive, length = 2.5 in., diameter = 1.1 in., base length = 0 in., construction = hollow, and wall thickness = .05 in. The simulator's model of the nose cone looked pretty similar to the actual nose cone we had.

4) The fins can also be edited under the "Rocket Design Components". First we deleted the fins that were already there and added new fins by clicking "custom fins". We measured the lengths of the fins we used on the rocket and used the Pythagorean Theorem to find the X and Y coordinates. The coordinates were (0,0), (2.4, 1.67), (4.6, 1.67), (4.6, 1.12), and (3.06, 0).

To put the fins on the right place of the rocket, click the "general" tab and change the location value to 7.35 in. and the option below should read "from the front of the owning part".

5) To replicate the engine mount assembly of the Pitsco rocket on the simulator, double click on the "Engine Mount Tube" tab. Change the length to 2.5 in. and the location to 8.85 in. "from the front of the owning part".

6) Under the tab "Forward Ring" and "Aft Ring", there is a menu to change the location. Change the location of the forward ring to 10.25 in. and the location of the aft ring to 9 in. because those are the locations of the two spacer rings in the rocket.

7) The location of the launch lug should be at 6 in.

8) Weigh the plane and enter that value under the "mass override" tab.

9) Click the 5th icon from the left at the top of the screen (prepare for launch). You will get the option of which engine to use and how long the ejection delay is. For this simulation, we chose the A8 engine with a 3 sec. delay.

10) Click the 6th icon from the left at the top to launch.

2D model of rocket:

Using RockSim to simulate Egg in Rocket project:

1) Open RockSim 9 and click on file -> open -> Estes -> Alpha

2) Body tube: OD = 3 in. ID = 2.95 in. Length = 11 in.

3) Nose cone: Shape = conical Diameter = 3 in. Length = 3 in. Construction = hollow

4) Edit the fins exactly like step 4 from the Pitsco rocket

5) Engine tube, spacer tubes (forward/aft rings), and launch lug are the same as for the Pitsco rocket.

6) Weigh the rocket and enter the mass under the "mass override" tab

7) Click the prepare for launch icon (5th icon at the top) and choose engine and ejection delay time.

8) Click the launch icon (6th icon at the top). Our results are below.

1st launch with A8-3 engine: The simulator predicted the height would be approximately 15 ft.

2nd launch with B6-4 engine: The simulator predicted the height would be approximately 41 ft.

2D model of our rocket design: