Semester VII

AE 404

Rockets &Missiles

L T P C
3 0 0 3

COURSE OBJECTIVE
To introduce basic concepts of design and trajectory estimation of rocket and missiles.
Unit 01
ROCKET SYSTEMS
10
Ignition system in rockets types of igniters and igniter design considerations injection system
and propellant feed systems of liquid rockets and their design considerations design
considerations of liquid rocket thrust chambers combustion mechanisms of liquid and solid
propellants.
Unit 02
AERODYAMICS OF ROCKETS AND MISSILES
10
Airframe components of rockets and missiles forces acting on a missile while passing through
atmosphere classification of missiles slender body aerodynamics- method of describing forces
and moments lift force and lateral moment lateral aerodynamic damping moment longitudinal
moment drag estimation body upwash and body downwash in missiles rocket dispersion.
Unit 03
ROCKET MOTION IN FREE SPACE AND GRAVITATIONAL FIELD
10
One dimensional and two-dimensional rocket motions in free space and homogeneous
gravitational fields description of vertical, inclined and gravity turn trajectories determination of
range and altitude simple approximations to burn out velocity and altitude estimation of
culmination time and altitude.
Unit 04
STAGING AND CONTROL OF ROCKETS AND MISSILES
9
Design philosophy behind multistaging of launch vehicles and ballistic missiles multistage
vehicle optimization stage separation techniques in atmosphere and in space stage
separation dynamics and lateral separation characteristics various types of thrust vector control
methods including secondary injection thrust vector control numerical problems on stage
separation and multistaging.
Unit 05
MATERIALS FOR ROCKET AND MISSILE APPLICATIONS
6
Selection criteria of materials for rockets and missiles materials for various airframe components
and engine parts materials for thrust control devices various adverse conditions faced by
aerospace vehicles and the requirement of materials to perform under these conditions.

TOTAL: 45
TEXT BOOK
1.
2.

Cornelisse, J.W., Rocket Propulsion and Space Dynamics, J.W. Freeman & Co., Ltd, London, 1979
Sutton, G.P., Rocket Propulsion Elements, John Wiley & Sons, 2000.

3.
4.

Chin, S. S., Missile configuration Design, McGraw-Hill, 1961.

Parker, E.R., Material for Missiles and Spacecraft, McGraw Hill Book Co. Inc., 1982.

REFERENCES
1.
2.
3.

Barrere et al, Rocket propulsion, Elsevier publisher Co., 1960.

Martin J. L. Turner, Rocket and Spacecraft propulsion: Principles, Practice & New Developments, Springer Praxis,
2004.
J. N. Nielsen, Missile Aerodynamics, Mountain View, Near, Inc., 1998.