Best Software for Simulating a Custom Rocket Design

[Rcarballo2]

Hello everyone. My friends and I are trying to build a fully custom rocket from scratch, and we wanted to get an estimate of how high the rocket would go based on the materials it is made of, the shape, thrust, and other factors. Trying to calculate drag forces on every section of this rocket is interesting to say the least.

Is there any sort of software where we can cad a full design of our rocket, and perform simulations to determine things like drag force and maximum height?

 

[qquake2k]

I use Open Rocket. It's fairly robust, and it's free.

https://openrocket.sourceforge.net/

 

[Random Flying Object]

I use Open Rocket. It's fairly robust, and it's free.

https://openrocket.sourceforge.net/

+ 1

 

[Random Flying Object]

You mentioned calculating drag force on each section. Does the vehicle fly in sections? Just wondering why you wouldn't perform a Cd calc on the entire assembly in some flight condition?

Other packages
RockSim
RockSim Pro
RASaero
other text based packages are also around.

 

[ksaves2]

All the above are above are good. If going multi Mach RS Pro if one had the $$$$$ or if not RASaero. Kurt

 

[Chuck Rogers]

For subsonic, but especially for transonic and supersonic, we believe RASAero II has the best drag coefficient (CD) predictions, and the most accurate altitude predictions. Lots of data with comparisons with wind tunnel data, inflight measured CD data, and altitude prediction data is on the RASAero web site at www.rasaero.com .

The total CD of the rocket is what matters, but for better understanding on what contributes to the rocket total CD RASAero II has a feature called Run Test where the drag components (wave, pressure, friction, base) for the rocket components (nose, body, fins) is printed out with Mach number for subsonic, and supersonic through hypersonic Mach numbers. There's also a limited transonic output. Run Test is detailed in the RASAero II Users Manual on Pages 68-74. An example Run Test drag component output is attached.

Using Run Test you can vary the different design aspects of the rocket and see how it affects the drag components of the rocket, in addition to the rocket total CD.


Chuck Rogers
Rogers Aeroscience

View attachment RASAero II Drag Component Output.pdf