ENGR 100 Rocket Intro

ENGR 100: Rocket Design Project

Project Objective:

Design and build a rocket to carry the heaviest payload to exactly 400 ft for the least cost.

Overview:

As an elite team of NASA engineers, you have been given the task of lifting a payload to a given height for orbital insertion. NASA has a large budget, but it is not bottomless. Hence your expenses should not exceed $60 million (if you go over budget you will lose points! See below).

In order to achieve the project objective, your group has the capability to vary engine size, mass, rocket length, fin shape and placement, and nose shape. Your rocket will carry a small (18 g) altimeter as required payload. Additional payload, in the form of metal washers or clay, will go towards scoring design points. By launching a prototype you will be able to gain enough information to ultimately build a superior rocket.

Educational Goals:

The goals for this project are for students to:

learn and understand some of the fundamentals of rocket flight.
apply physics concepts (experimentation and analytical evaluation) to design rockets.
build, launch, and measure rocket altitutude.
develop computer analysis skills (using spreadsheets and rocket software).
as a team, apply the design process to develop the best possible product.
improve communication skills by writing a report and giving a brief oral presentation.
get excited about science and technology.

Constraints:

Budget of $60 million
Materials limited to what is available in the "Rocket Shop."
Rocket cannot exceed 25 inches in length
Rocket must be at least 15 inches in length
Rocket must carry altimeter SAFELY.
*No clustered or multi-stage rockets allowed.

Scoring:

Scoring is based on a point system.

Height (ft)	Points
above 501	0
476 - 500	1
451 - 475	2
426 - 450	3
411 - 425	4
391 - 410	5 (+1 for exactly 400)
376 - 390	4
351 - 375	3
326 - 350	2
300 - 325	1
150 - 299	0
below 149	Sorry! Launch again

Payload (g)*	Points
0 - 5	0
6 - 10	1
11 - 20	2
21 - 30	3
31 - 40	4
41 - 50	5
51 - 75	6
75 - 100	7

Cost ($m)	Points
0 - 25	5
26 - 30	4
31 - 35	3
26 - 40	2
41 - 50	1
51 - 60	0
61 - 70	-1
71 - 80	-2

* Payload will be made out of clay. The density of clay is approximately 24 g/in^3. You need this value to calculate if your payload section will have enough volume to hold the desired payload.

Bonus/Penalties
Shoot deployed and unfurled for safe landing +2
Shoot does not deploy -2
You may purchase "safety insurance" for $5 m. This removes the penalty if your shoot does not deploy, but still allows you to receive the bonus for safe landing.

Rocket Shop price list

Item	Cost ($ m)
Engine B6-4	10 (2.5 re-launch)
Engine B6-2	20 (5 re-launch)
Engine C6-3	40 (10 re-launch)
Parachute Small	5
Parachute Medium	3
Parachute Large	1
Streamer	5
Thin Balsa (high tech composite)	5
Medium Balsa	3
Thick Balsa (Low tech)	1
Engine mount cutouts	1
Tube coupler	2
Grn/ylw cylinder for engine mount	1
Engine mount kit	3
Engine pin	1
Launch lug	1
Nose cone complete	4
Nose cone top	4
Nose cone bottom	2
Parachute cord	Free
For 8:30 section only:
BT-20	3
BT-50	2
BT-55	1

Project Grading:

The grade for the rocket project is broken down into the following categories:

Group Rocket Report 15%
Test Results 5%
Group Rocket Presentation 5%

Students will also be responsible for several homework assignments relating to rocket design and analysis.

Design Process:

As in the Bridge Project, we will again apply the process of engineering design. Please refer to the engineering design process handouts and class discussion. Your rocket design process should include the following steps:

1. Problem definition

As a team, carefully read the problem statement and put it into your own words.
Identify the functional requirements of the rocket
Identify the constraints
Ensure that everyone on the team shares the same vision of the problem before proceeding

2. Analysis/synthesis/conceptualization

Conceptualize alternative designs with your team
Brainstorm! Come up with at least three rough designs

3. Prototype design and testing

Evaluate the proposed designs and select the best approach.
Develop the selected approach into a detailed design. Decide on design details such as materials, construction methods, tools and dimensions.
Prepare a drawing of your design with dimensions.
Enter your design into the RocketSim software to predict the height, and vary the payload mass so that the predicted height is as close as possible to 400 ft.
Build and test a prototype

4. Redesign

Did your rocket achieve the predicted height? Discuss means of improvement.
Redesign and build your final rocket for testing.

5. Design delivery

Write the final bridge report as a group
Prepare a group poster presentation

Rocket Resources:

The following information is from the Estes Rocket web site:
Rocket Parts	Flight Profile	Components	Assembled
Engines	Profile	Chart	Thrust Curve	How they work
"How To"	Build Rockets	Troubleshoot
Design	Apogee RockSim Software (avail. on computers in ILF)