2010

How to Make a Stable

H2O Rocket?

PTPR2014 MRSM
18 & 19 August 2014, MRSM Langkawi
National Space Agency (ANGKASA)

How Does a Rocket Work?

Newtons Laws of Motion
First Law

Thrust

Objects at rest remain at rest and objects in motion

remain in motion in a straight line unless acted
upon by an unbalanced force.

Reaction

Second Law
Force equals mass times acceleration.

Third Law
For every action there is an equal and opposite
reaction.

Gravity
+ Drag

Action

Water Rocket Design

CG or

Stability

Stability is the simple most important factor in rocket

design and it is also the most commonly overlooked.

What is Stability?

The tendency of a rocket to rotate towards the

relative wind.
The relative wind is relative to the movement
of the rocket.
The relative wind is always in the opposite
direction of the rocket.

How to determine rocket stability?

The Swing Test

The Degree of Stability
The Center of Gravity (CG)
The Center of Pressure (CP)
The Cross Section Method
The Barrowman Equations

The Swing Test

Done on a ready-to-fly rocket by attaching a string to it on

the point where it balances & then swing it in a large
circle (about 10 feet). If the rocket points in the direction
that it is swinging, the rocket is probably stable.
Weakness:
i. Done on a ready-to-fly rocket, its
time consuming to test different fin
configurations; and
ii. Not an accurate simulation of a
rockets flight.

The Center of Gravity (CG)

The center of mass of a ready-to-fly rocket.

The point where the gravitational forces of the rocket
balance & the point at which it rotates during flight.
How to determine?
Finding the balancing point of the rocket using
string or your finger; or
Using force-balancing equations.

The Center of Pressure (CP)

The point where the aerodynamic forces (such as

wind resistance) balance.
Not easy to calculate.
How to determine?
The Cross-section method

Take a cross-section through the center of your

rocket, from the tip of the nosecone, straight down
through the nozzle.
The center of the surface area of this cross-section
will be the center of pressure.

CP- The Cross Section Method

Sum of Top
65 + 190 + 5 + 5 = 265 cm2
Sum of Bottom
90 + 90 + 50 + 35 = 265 cm
5 cm2
90 cm2

65
cm2

190 cm2

CP
50 cm2
35 cm2

5 cm2
90 cm2

CP - The Barrowman Equations

The Barrowman equations

A set of equations developed by

aeronautical engineer James barrowman,
which are used to estimate the center of
pressure of subsonic rockets.
The best way is using computer simulator.
The best calculator for the Barrowman
Equations is the VCP CP/CG Calculator,
available for download as freeware on the
Internet.

Why CG and CP?

In a stable rocket, the CP must be located

beneath of the CG.

GOOD

NOT GOOD

Degree of Stability

Rocket stability is compare using body

calibers.
One caliber = the maximum diameter
(D) of the rocket.
If S = D, the rocket has one caliber of
stability.
static
In general, one caliber of stability or stability
margin, S
greater means the rocket is stable.
Normal stabilities range from 1 to 3
calibers.

maximum
diameter, D

CG

CP

How Many Fins Required?

Using the cross section method, a rocket with 3 fins has

the same stability as a rocket with 4 fins, as long as they
are the same shape and size.
Obviously, the one with 4 fins is more
stable.
But remember, the cross
section method is only an
approximation.

National Space Agency (ANGKASA)

Ministry of Science, Technology and
Innovation (MOSTI)
National Planetarium
Lot 53, Jalan Perdana
50480 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
T +603-2273 4303
F +603-2273 5488
E planetariumweb@angkasa.gov.my
W http://www.angkasa.gov.my/planetarium
P http://astronomi.angkasa.gov.my