Quick Graphs - Statistics


This is the main set of statistics output in numerical form from the computer model. It is broken down into six areas of interest - a general set of results and then results pertaining to each part of the flight.

General - This is just a set of three commonly required results:
  Maximum Height - This is measured either in feet or in metres (dependent upon your selection when you started running the program) and represents the furthest away from the ground that the rocket got during the flight. The point at which the rocket attains this height is known as the Apogee;
  Maximum Vertical Velocity - This is the greatest upward velocity (not speed) that the rocket attained. It is usually during the water part of the thrust but sometimes occurs in the air part and, even less frequently, during the launch tube part of the flight; and,
  Maximum Acceleration - This is the greatest acceleration of the rocket during the flight. If you are looking at putting equipment on board - such as a camera or accelerometer - it should be able to cope with this value.
Launch Tube - This section deals with the part of the launch while it is on the launch tube. If no launch tube was used, this section is greyed out:
  Time to get to end of Launch Tube - This is the time from the release of the rocket to the end of the nozzle clearing the end of the launch tube;
  Launch Tube Impulse - This is the total impulse from the launch tube - measured in Newton Seconds - and contributes to the impulse rating of the rocket system. It is an indication of the effect of the thrust of the launch tube on the rocket; and,
  Speed at end of Launch Tube - This is the speed (not the velocity) of the rocket when the end of the rocket's nozzle has got to the end of the launch tube. It is measured in the direction of the launch tube (ie, if the tube was pointing at an angle of 45 degrees, the speed would be measured at this angle. To get the vertical component of this final speed, ie the vertical velocity, multiply the speed by the cosine of the angle of elevation of the launch).
Water Impulse - These statistics pertain to the part of flight during which the water is expelled through the nozzle - whether that is an open nozzle, a restricted nozzle or a t-nozzle:
  Duration of Thrust - This is the length of time that the water takes to be expelled completely, including the time that the rocket is on the launch tube. This is because water is being expelled while the rocket is on the launch tube either minimally, if the launch tube is a tight fit and the water effectively acts only as a lubricant, or significantly if there is a large clearance between the inside of the nozzle and the launch tube. Note that the computer model assumes that the course of the rocket does not change whilst it is on the launch tube;
  Height at end of Thrust - This is the height above ground that the rocket is when it has cleared the end of the launch tube. If the launch angle is close to horizontal, this will be little different to the initial height of the rocket if the tube is short;
  Water Impulse - This is the total impulse from the water, not including the impulse from the launch tube - again, measured in Newton Seconds - and contributes to the impulse rating of the rocket system. As with the Launch Tube Impulse above, it is an indication of the effect of the thrust of the water on the rocket;
  Speed at end of Water - This is the speed of the rocket at the end of the water thrust phase. It is measured along the axis of the rocket and is not the vertical velocity of the rocket; and,
  Temperature at end of Water - This is the temperature of the air (or other gas) inside the rocket at the end of the water thrust phase. It is dependent upon the amount of expansion that it has undergone during the expulsion of the water, the initial temperature of the gas and the gamma of the gas. See Environmental Parameters for more details of gamma and other parameters.
Air Impulse - These statistics refer to the part of flight after the water, during which the air escapes from the rocket providing a little bit of extra thrust:
  Air Impulse - This is calculated from a rather complicated equation that takes into account parameters such as initial temperature, gamma of the gas and so on. The computer model, for the sake of simplicity, calculates the total air impulse and then divides it up between the number of one millisecond time slices specified in the Duration of air impulse parameter on the Rocket Parameters page in such a way as to form a triangle with an integrated value equal to the air impulse;
  Speed at end of Air - This is the speed of the rocket at the end of the air thrust phase (giving the air impulse a definite end means that calculations can proceed in a meaningful way - in reality, air is being pushed out of the nozzle even after the rocket has touched down again). It is measured along the axis of the rocket and is not the vertical velocity of the rocket;
  Kinetic Energy at end of Air - This is the amount of energy the rocket has that is due to its speed. KE = ½mv² You will see from the figures further down the statistics list that much of this is turned into heat (heating up the air as it travels); and,
  Temperature at end of Air - This is the temperature of the air (or other gas) inside the rocket at the end of the air thrust phase (the air is now at atmospheric pressure). As before, it is dependent upon the amount of expansion that it has undergone during the expulsion of the water, the initial temperature of the gas and the gamma of the gas. See Environmental Parameters for more details of Gamma and other parameters. This is the coldest that the gas gets and although it is quite cold, it quickly warms up again.
Apogee - These statistics refer the status of the rocket at apogee:
  Time to Apogee - This is the amount of time it takes the rocket to get to the top of its flight. It is measured from the time of release of the rocket;
  Speed at Apogee - Although the rocket has stopped going upwards, it can still be moving downrange. This horizontal speed it the value quoted here. It is of importance for NSA (Nose Separates at Apogee or NFOAA Nose Falls Off At Apogee) cones as these can fail to deploy the parachute if the pressure on the nose is too great (caused by the speed at apogee being too great);
  Kinetic Energy at Apogee - This is entirely due to the rocket's horizontal speed (it is neither going up nor down). Again, KE = ½mv²;
  Potential Energy at Apogee - The rocket's potential energy is derived from its height multiplied by the force caused by its weight. Energy = Force x Distance. The Force is proportional to the gravitational force; and,
  Distance Down-Range at Apogee - This is the distance downrange that the rocket has travelled by the time it has got to apogee. This is normally significantly over halfway along the total downrange distance travelled by the rocket.
Touchdown - These statistics refer to the status of the rocket at the time it comes into contact with the ground:
  Flight Time - This is the total time from release to touchdown;
  Speed at Touchdown - This is the speed (not velocity) of the rocket when it hits the ground. If your parachute opens late, it will tell you the speed the chute managed to slow the rocket down to before it landed;
  Vertical Component at Touchdown - if not all of the energy of landing is absorbed on impact and the rocket effectively `slides' with only the vertical energy component of the landing absorbed, you can get that figure from this statistic;
  Kinetic Energy at Touchdown - This is the total kinetic energy. You will see, by comparing it with the sum of the potential and kinetic energy at apogee and the kinetic energy at the end of the air impulse that much of the energy of the flight has been lost in heating up the air that surrounds it during its flight. This remaining energy is absorbed by the ground and the rocket (causing damage if it is too great) with the remainder being transmitted as sound in the form of a bang or crunch;
  Touchdown Angle - This is the angle that the rocket makes with the ground (assuming that the ground is horizontal) when the rocket lands. Ninety degrees is vertical. Shallower angles will produce skids which, while being kinder to the body of the rocket in that the vertical velocity is only a small proportion of the total velocity, will tend to damage fins; and,
  Distance Downrange - This distance that the rocket travels from the place that it started the flight. This assumes that there is no wind.
Equivalent Motor Type - This gives an idea of the power capabilities of the complete launch that is . . .

Total Impulse = launch rod impulse + water impulse + air impulse.

Impulse is force x time and therefore the units are Newton Seconds.

Twice the force for half the time will give the same impulse although, using all of the available impulse too quickly can result in high speeds and too much loss as drag whereas, too slowly and it is used up fighting against gravity - an ideal value lies in the middle somewhere and this model can give you a good idea of where.

For classification purposes, the total impulse is divided into bands and given a letter according to the table on the right.

Motor Impulse Classes
Impulse /Ns Class
I <= 0.625 ¼A
0.625 < I <= 1.25 ½A
1.25 < I <= 2.5 A
2.5 < I <= 5 B
5 < I <= 10 C
10 < I <= 20 D
20 < I <= 40 E
40 < I <= 80 F
80 < I <= 160 G
160 < I <= 320 H
320 < I <= 640 I
640 < I <= 1280 J
1280 < I <= 2560 K
2560 < I <= 5120 L
5120 < I >L


Copyright ©2000 Paul Grosse. All Rights Reserved