How Does RockSim Predict Airframe Damage?

[Rock_It]

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[heada]

It sounds like you have compitition settings turned on. When they're on, there is a % of failure. I don't think it matters what the rocket is made from either. Just a random % of failure.

-Aaron

 

[jraice]

could be the crash symbol... usually comes up when there is no parachute... so make sure you have it set to deploy a parachute at a resenable time... What is the point of a random failure when in competition mode?

 

[heada]

There are multiple "random failures" in comp mode. You have loss of tracking and a few others that I can't remember off the top of my head. I don't fly comp, so I don't know the purpose...but they're there, enabled by default if I remember correctly.

-Aaron

 

[MarkM]

Originally posted by heada
but they're there, enabled by default if I remember correctly.-Aaron

No, they're not. You need to check the box on the comp settings page to enable them.

 

[heada]

Ah...I didn't remember correctly. Its been happening more and more lately. I think I'm getting older or something.

Thanks for correcting me.

-Aaron

 

[Rock_It]

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[MarkM]

Why not just turn them off? I never ue them. You're not flying a competition, so why have them on in the first place? Rocksim is a great tool, but for certain things it's way overutilized and overinterpreted. There's only so much usefulness you can get out of a simulation and prediction of damage to a rocket is not one of the more useful tools, especially when it comes to HPR.

You're already getting valuable engine, speed, acceleration, and maximum altitude data as well as parachute deployment speeds and decent rates What really more do you need? Just turn off the comp settings. If something is going to happen to the rocket in flight, during parachute deployment or during decent, Rocksim probably woudln't catch it anyway (or predict it as 'random'...what good is that?) since it's probably user error. And there are the other predictions it can't make such as landing in a swamp, on a rock, or on a congrete roadway. And what exactly does Rocksim call damage and how does it compare to the 'real world' senario.

IMO, you're using a function of Rocksim that really isn't going to give you any more valuable information than what you already know from the other parts of the simulation and flying experience.

 

[heada]

The comp settings could be used to hold a virtual contest, somewhat like EMRR does.

I believe, and I have no basis for this other than my feeling, that the comp settings are purely random. You can change the amount of randomness, but it is not based on the type of rocket, location, materials, etc. If you know you are flying very high and the weather is such that there will be low clouds, you might want to simulate what would happen at a NARAM or the like.

Personally, I have them turned off and don't use it.

-Aaron

 

[Rock_It]

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[rocket72175]

Relax. These are merely probability settings for pretend contests with your friends. You control the frequency of failure. Nothing physical is simulated with equations.

If you are not conducting virtual competitions, then turn them off. They can wreak havoc on your regular sims. I also tend to force the variable weather parameters to "constant" values when looking for ideal conditions. I wish there was a similar checkbox to disable all the weather variables.