I was thinking of coming up with a list or table which provided information on what hacks are necessary in Open Rocket (OR) or Rocksim (RS), and where to find solutions, hacks, workarounds for those issues. So, what does the current sim not calculate properly that you wouldn't know by looking at it? There are obviously some features that aren't included in the various sims, I'm not looking for those obvious ones, and not looking for a wish list. I'm looking for things that you might think are just fine when you design the rocket, but don't realize they are not. Things that look right on the design cosmetically, but are way off on the numbers because they don't calculate properly. For example: ring tail fins, pods, short fat rockets, etc.
I recently made a pod sub-assembly in RS and put it near the top of the body tube to sim an Estes Universal Astrocam or key chain cam. I later realized the pod did nothing toward calculating CP or Cd changes. I eventually figured out to make a 0.91" wide X .5" tall X 2" long single fin and mounted it near the top of the tube, and that seems to be having the effect that I would expect.
What should be on that list? Is there anything major I'm missing, or shouldn't be on there?
Hack List:
Issue - Software - Solution
I recently made a pod sub-assembly in RS and put it near the top of the body tube to sim an Estes Universal Astrocam or key chain cam. I later realized the pod did nothing toward calculating CP or Cd changes. I eventually figured out to make a 0.91" wide X .5" tall X 2" long single fin and mounted it near the top of the tube, and that seems to be having the effect that I would expect.
What should be on that list? Is there anything major I'm missing, or shouldn't be on there?
Hack List:
Issue - Software - Solution
- Ring Tail Fin - OR and RS - add standard fins per Levison's approach in Apogee Peak of Flight newsletter
- Pods - OR and RS - ???
- Short Fat Rockets (less than 10:1 ratio) - OR and RS - zero mass, base drag cone