landing speed

I am designing some rockets in open rocket and have a couple of questions.
1.What is the maxium optimal landing speed?
2.how do you simulate rail buttons instead launch lugs?
thanks

landing speed depends on how sturdy your rocket is. If you were flying a carbon fiber or fiberglass rocket, then I wouldnt be to worried about landing speed. If you are flying a normal cardboard/plastic/plywood rocket then a good decent speed for me is between 15-20fps. Also, if you are flying a small rocket (think Estes Alpha) then I wouldn't be worried about decent speed at all. Ive had rockets that size survive lawn darts.

as for Rail Buttons, Ive just made 1/4in launch lug "stubs" and made them solid.

maximum decent speed should be under 30fps. feet not frames.

15-20 is standard under chute, some like it slower, and some like it faster.

Humma said:

I am designing some rockets in open rocket and have a couple of questions.
1.What is the maxium optimal landing speed?

Click to expand...

There is no single answer.

1. Smaller, lighter model rockets can normally descend at a higher velocity than a heavy high power rocket.
2. The surface is important. At grassy field will support a higher descent rate than a sun baked playa or asphalt.
3. Smaller rockets landing on grass fields can handle 20-25 fps landings.
4. Smaller rocket landing on hard surfaces and larger rockets ideally should have a final descent speed of ~15 fps.
5. Drop test your rocket over the same type surface as your LZ before you launch.
   • A rocket dropped from 4' has a terminal velocity of 16 fps.
   • A rocket dropped from 6.25' has a terminal velocity of 20 fps.
   • A rocket dropped from 10' has a terminal velocity of 25.3 fps.
   • To determine the drop high, ft. for a velocity, fps: d=(v/8)^2
   • Drop from all orientations. If nothing breaks, you're good to go with landing speed comparable to the velocities obtained in the drop test.

2.how do you simulate rail buttons instead launch lugs?

Click to expand...

10/10 railbuttons are modeled as 3/8" diameter cylinders x 3/8" high.
15/15 railbuttons are modeled as 5/8" diameter cylinders x 5/8" high.

https://www.apogeerockets.com/rail_buttons.asp

Bob

Thanks All