MAE 2

INTRO TO AEROSPACE ENGINEERING

Rocket PROJECT
Aaron Rosengren

Team #2, Section A07

Team Members:
Sabrina Ibarra A18427327
Kalina Whitaker A18372920
Malia Ballesteros A18364805

December 5, 2024

Abstract

Beginning the project we followed the format of a general rocket and instructions of how to build. We built the
fuselage by wrapping the envelope paper around a tube then carving a piece of styrofoam for the nose of the
rocket. The shape of our nose is rounded because research proved it was the most effective for a higher flight.
We finished off our rocket by adding three fins 0.7 inches from the bottom of the fuselage. Our rocket's nose
was covered with paper to protect from the downward impact as well as our fins that were covered with tape to
strengthen them and cause our rocket to be sturdier.

Lessons Learned

Our first attempt at flying the rocket was difficult because our fuselage had a piece of tape stuck inside causing
it to stick onto the end of the pressure tank. After removing the tape, for some reason our rocket still was
refusing to fly and would get stuck on the tank. Due to this fact we altered our fuselage by making a second
fuselage. We also decided to alter the stability of the fins because we could tell through the videos they were
moving causing the rocket to fly short. These changes and conclusions showed how in some cases it is
necessary to start over, in our case, fully remaking the fuselage. It is also important to take every small detail
into account like how we altered the fins.
Boost Velocity (Launch 1):
𝑑 2 2 0.84𝑖𝑛 2
T = η𝑃π( 2 ) ⇒ 𝑇 = (1. 015)(52(𝑙𝑏𝑠/𝑖𝑛 ))π( 2
) = 29. 25 𝑙𝑏𝑠
4.448𝑁
𝑇 = 29. 25𝑙𝑏𝑠 × 1 𝑙𝑏
= 130. 1𝑁
9.8𝑁
0. 0139 𝑘𝑔 × 1 𝑘𝑔
= 0. 136
1 𝑓𝑡 1𝑚
𝑙 = 10𝑖𝑛 × 12 𝑖𝑛
× 3.28 𝑓𝑡
= 0. 254𝑚
−1
1 2 𝑇𝑙−𝑚𝑔𝑙 (130.1𝑁)(0.254𝑚)−(1.36×10 𝑁)(9.81)(0.254𝑚)
𝑇𝑙 = 2
𝑚𝑉𝑏 + 𝑚𝑔𝑙 ⇒ (2) 𝑚
⇒ (2) −1 = 𝑉𝑏 = 21. 93 𝑚/𝑠
(1.36×10 )
Terminal Velocity (Launch 1):
1 2 1 2
𝑞= 2
ρ𝑉 ⇒ 2
(1. 225)(21. 93) = 294. 57
−4 −3
𝑆𝑓𝑖𝑛 = (3. 91 × 10 )(3 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑠) = 1. 173 × 10
2 0.0213 2 −4
𝑆𝑓𝑢𝑒𝑙 = π𝑟 = π( 2
) = 3. 5632 × 10
−3 −4 −3
𝑆𝑓𝑖𝑛 + 𝑆𝑓𝑢𝑒𝑙 =1. 173 × 10 + 3. 5632 × 10 = 1. 529 × 10
𝑑 2 0.0213 2 −3
(0.08)𝑞π( 2 ) +(0.02)(𝑞)(𝑆𝑓𝑖𝑛) (0.08)(21.93)π( 2
) +(0.02)(21.93)(1.173×10 )
𝐷𝑓𝑢𝑠𝑒 + 𝐷𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑓𝑖𝑛 = (𝑞)(𝑆)
= −3 = 𝐶𝐷
(21.93)(1.529×10 )
−2
3. 398 × 10 = 𝐶𝐷
1 2 −1 1 −2 −3 2
𝑚𝑔 = 𝐶𝐷 2
ρ𝑉𝑡 𝑆 = (1. 36 × 10 )(9. 81) = 2
(3. 398 × 10 )(1. 225)(1. 529 × 10 )𝑉𝑡
2
𝑉𝑡 = 204. 76𝑚/𝑠
Boost Velocity (Launch 2):
𝑑 2 2 0.84𝑖𝑛 2
T = η𝑃π( 2 ) ⇒ 𝑇 = (1. 015)(63(𝑙𝑏𝑠/𝑖𝑛 ))π( 2
) = 35.44lbs
4.448𝑁
𝑇 = 35. 44𝑙𝑏𝑠 × 1 𝑙𝑏
= 157. 62𝑁
9.8 𝑁 −1
0. 0157 𝑘𝑔 × 1 𝑘𝑔
= 1. 54 × 10 𝑁
1 𝑓𝑡 1𝑚
𝑙 = 10𝑖𝑛 × 12 𝑖𝑛
× 3.28 𝑓𝑡
= 0. 254𝑚
−1
1 2 𝑇𝑙−𝑚𝑔𝑙 (157.62𝑁)(0.254𝑚)−(1.54×10 𝑁)(9.81)(0.254𝑚)
𝑇𝑙 = 2
𝑚𝑉𝑏 + 𝑚𝑔𝑙 ⇒ (2) 𝑚
⇒ (2) −1 = 𝑉𝑏 = 22. 69 𝑚/𝑠
(1.54×10 )
Terminal Velocity (Launch 2):
1 2 1 2
𝑞= 2
ρ𝑉 ⇒ 2
(1. 225)(22. 69) = 315. 34
−4 −3
𝑆𝑓𝑖𝑛 = (3. 91 × 10 )(3 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑠) = 1. 173 × 10
2 0.0213 2 −4
𝑆𝑓𝑢𝑒𝑙 = π𝑟 = π( 2
) = 3. 5632 × 10
−3 −4 −3
𝑆𝑓𝑖𝑛 + 𝑆𝑓𝑢𝑒𝑙 =1. 173 × 10 + 3. 5632 × 10 = 1. 529 × 10
𝑑 2 0.0213 2 −3
(0.08)𝑞π( 2 ) +(0.02)(𝑞)(𝑆𝑓𝑖𝑛) (0.08)(315.34)π( 2
) +(0.02)(315.34)(1.173×10 )
𝐷𝑓𝑢𝑠𝑒 + 𝐷𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑓𝑖𝑛 = (𝑞)(𝑆)
= −3 = 𝐶𝐷
(315.34)(1.529×10 )
−2
3. 398 × 10 = 𝐶𝐷
1 2 −1 1 −2 −3 2
𝑚𝑔 = 𝐶𝐷 2
ρ𝑉𝑡 𝑆 = (1. 54 × 10 )(9. 81) = 2
(3. 398 × 10 )(1. 225)(1. 529 × 10 )𝑉𝑡 = 217.88 m/s
 Rocket Project Table – Final Report

MAE 2 – Introduction to Aerospace Engineering (Fall ’24 – Sec. A00)

Lab Group: 111 Tutor: Paul Manchala

Team Members: Malia Ballesteros, Kalina Whitaker, Sabrina Ibarra

Member PID: A18364805, A18372920, A18427327

Lab Group: 111 Original (Baseline) Design Launch #1 Launch #2

Data English SI SI SI

Vehicle mass 9.525× 10

−4 13.9(gr) 13.9(gr) 15.7 (gr)
(slugs) 0.0157kg

Fuselage length 10 (in) 25.4 (cm) 25.4 (cm) 25.4 (cm)

Fuselage diameter 0.84 (in) 2.13(cm) 2.13(cm) 2.13(cm)

Distance (top of fuselage to 0.91 (in) 2.3(cm) 2.3(cm) 2.3(cm)

C.G.) 3 3 3
Number of tail fins

Tail fin root chord 1.75 (in) 4.445(cm) 4.445(cm) 4.445(cm)

Tail fin tip chord 0.7(in) 1.78(cm) 1.78(cm) 1.78(cm)

Tail fin area (each fin) 2 2 2 2

1.54(in ) 3.91(cm ) 3.91(cm ) 3.91(cm )
Distance (top of the fuselage to 7.87(in) 20(cm) 20(cm) 20(cm)
fin root leading edge)

Distance (top of the fuselage to 9.29 (in) 23.6(cm) 23.6(cm) 23.6(cm)

fin tip leading edge)

Drag Area (S*CD) 2 2 2

0.0133(cm ) 0.0133(cm ) 0.0133(cm )
−3
5. 23 × 10
2
(in )
Ballistic Coefficient 2 2 2 2
0.82(slug/ft ) 1046.2(kg/m ) 1046.2(kg/m ) (kg/m )
Flight Performance:

Tank pressure 75(psi) 2 2 2

358527(N/m ) 358527(N/m ) 427475(N/m
)
 Boost Velocity 5.36(ft/s) 1.635(m/s) 21. 93 (m/s) 22.69(m/s)

Terminal Velocity 652.51(ft/s) 198.936(m/s) 204.76(m/s) 217.88(m/s)

Maximum Altitude 9.952 3.034 × 10

−1 5.64(m) 13.26(m)
−1
× 10 (ft) (m)

Ascend time (s) (s) 1.2(s) 1.74(s)

Descend time (s) (s) 1.83(s) 1.59(s)

Σ𝑖𝑊𝑖𝑥𝑐𝑔
0.0139 𝑘𝑔×4.445𝑐𝑚
𝐶𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝐺𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑖𝑡𝑦 − 𝑥𝑐𝑔 = Σ𝑖𝑊𝑖
𝑖
= 0.0157 𝑘𝑔
= 3. 94 𝑐𝑚
 Discussion

Before building the rocket we decided to research our own designs individually and compromise on the final
design we decided would be the best for the project. This ended up being the rounded nose cone three tail fin
rocket. The nose cone was the most efficient because of the subsonic speed it would go at. We decided to
carve it free hand from the styrofoam then wrap it with tape and paper in order to protect and add more
structure & strength to the nose cone to withstand the number of attempts it would take to test launch our
rocket. When making the fins we started off with the cropped delta fin which we later modified because of its
shape. After our first test the fins were flimsy and had trouble stabilizing against the pressure of the liftoff
thrust. The shape, after researching, was also not the most favorable in our favor. We decided to further
modify then retest to get our final concluded design.

Conclusion

These observations made us modify our design by first changing the shape of our fin from a cropped delta fin
to a horizontal taper fin. We continued to modify it by adding some tape to our fins and making them
stronger. We stabilized them from the sides and the actual fin, making it stronger being able to use the thrust
and liftoff to our advantage. The nose cone held up nicely during the first flight test. We just added more tape
in order to take further precautions and make sure our rocket lasted for more potential flight tests.

References

Our rocket design was influenced by the first stage design of the V2 rocket. The shape having a semi round
nose cone with three cropped delta fin shapes inspired our final design. Although the fuselage shape is shorter
we still decided to base this on our rocket due to the fact that its shape is a general and classic model rocket
shape. The rounded nose cone was proven to be effective when going subsonic speed. Since our rocket is most
definitely not going to supersonic speeds, there was no need for a pointed rocket which would only induce
more drag. Similar to the reasoning of why we chose a round nose cone, we decided on the horizontal taper fin
shape for our rocket because of the V2 rocket.