Equations of Motion of a Rocket
Abstract
The equations of motion of a rocket are given in general form; a rocket is defined as an apparatus with a liquid or powder rocket motor. In considering the motion of the rocket, at each instant of time only the state of those material particles which at that instant are within the control surface passing through the exterior surface of the body of the rocket and the exit section of the nozzle shall be included. In order to obtain the equations of motion of the rocket, the following procedure is used. An arbitrary but fixed instant of time is considered. A fictitious solid body is denoted by S with mass m, which would be obtained if the rocket at the instant t solidified and ceased giving off particles. The solid body S will not be homogeneous; in some of its parts, it will have the density of a metal and in other parts the density of a gas, and so forth. It shall be assumed that the fictitious solid body S is invariably fixed to the body of the rocket and from the instant t onwards (instant of solidification) moves together with the rocket. The momentum of the body S shall be denoted by Q.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 1950
- Accession Number
- ADA801581
Entities
People
- F. R. Gantmacher
- L. M. Levin
Organizations
- National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics