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˜ A stable rocket is one that flies in a smooth, uniform
direction.
˜ Unstable rockets are dangerous because it is not possible to
predict where they will go.
˜ Concept of centre of mass.
˜ Spinning about CG :- a way to obtain stability.(Frisbee
example)
˜ Types of spinning based on the axis about which it take
place:-roll, pitch and yaw.
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˜ For rockets roll and pitch are most important-any movement in
these directions can cause the rocket to go off course.
˜ Concept of centre of pressure:-only when air is passing around
the moving rocket.
˜ COP:- A point about which the surface area on one side is the
same as the other side.
˜ It is extremely important that the center of pressure in a rocket
be located toward the tail and the center of mass be located
toward the nose.

A Wind Vane
˜ Control systems for rockets are intended to keep a rocket stable
in flight and to steer it. Small rockets usually require only a
stabilizing control system. Large rockets, such as the ones that
launch satellites into orbit, require a system that not only
stabilizes the rocket, but also enable it to change course while in
flight.
˜ Control surfaces are of two types:-Active and passive.
˜ Active surfaces:- can be moved during flight to stabilize and steer
the craft.
˜ Passive surfaces:-fixed devices on rockets exterior whose
presence imparts stability to the rocket.
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˜ £ost common active controls are:
1- vanes
2- movable fins
3-canards
4- gimbaled nozzles
5-vernier rockets
6- fuel injection
7-attitude-control rockets
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˜ Tilt like rudders to deflect the air flow and cause the rocket to
change course.
˜ Canards are mounted on the front end of the rocket while the
tilting fins are at the rear.
˜ £otion sensors on the rocket
detect unplanned directional
changes, and corrections can be
made by slight tilting of the fins
and canards.
˜ smaller and lighter and produce
less drag than the large fins.
   

 


˜ Vanes-
1-small finlike devices that are placed inside thE rocket engine.
2-Tilting the vanes deflects the exhaust, and by action-reaction
the rocket responds by pointing the opposite way.

VANES
   

 


 

˜ Gimbaled Nozzles:
1-able to sway while exhaust gases are passing through it.
2-tilting the engine nozzle in the proper direction, the course of
the rocket can be changed.
  

 

 

˜ Vernier Rockets:
1-small rockets mounted on the outside of the large engine.
2-When needed they fire, producing the desired course change.
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˜ Propellant:-fuel and Oxidizer.
˜ Rockets unlike Jets have to carry oxygen.
˜ Types of propellants:-Basically two types
1-Solid Propellant:- fuel and the oxidizer combined together in
the chemical itself.
2-Liquid Propellant:-
a)gases chilled into liquids
b)fuel and oxidizer kept in different containers.
c) Fuel and oxidizer are mixed together in the
engine.
  
Π  
˜ Basic parts are-
1-Nozzle
2-A case:- usually a relatively thin
metal lined with insulation.
3-Insulation:- to keep propellant from
burning through.
4-Propellant
5-Igniter
   
 
 
˜ Only the surface of the propellant burns.
˜ Generally propellant ignited at lower end and burning proceeds
gradually from one end to the other.
˜ To get more thrust hollow core is used-increased surface of
propellant available for burning.
˜ Star shaped cores used for very high thrust.
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˜ Ignition using fuse:-
-Ignite too quickly and can harm the rocketeer.
˜ Ignition using electricity:
-electric current heats up special wire inside
the rocket.
-wire raises the temperature of the propellant
in contact to the combustion point.
-more reliable and safer.
˜ Ignition using rocket engine:-
-used for large rockets.
-small engine inside the hollow core blasts a stream
of flames and hot gas down from the top of the core
and ignites the entire surface area of the propellants
in a fraction of a second.
 
˜ opening at the back of the rocket that permits the hot expanding
gases to escape.
˜ Narrow part ² throat and beyond that -exit cone.
˜ Purpose:-
1)to maximize the thrust
by increasing the accel-
-eration of the leaving
exhaust gases.
2)cuts down the opening
through which the gases A typical nozzle used in rockets
can escape.
 
Π
 
˜ £uch more complicated.
˜ £ain parts:-
1-Separate storage tanks for fuel
and oxidizer.
2-Pumps
3-Combustion chamber
4-Nozzle
 
Π
  

˜ Fuel-usually kerosene or liquid hydrogen.
˜ Oxidizer-liquid oxygen.
˜ Combustion Chamber- here fuel and oxidizer are combined and
burnt.
˜ Injectors( nozzles) ²present on roof of the CC spray and mix the
propellants.
˜ Pumps- used for pumping the propellants against the high
combustion chamber pressure.
˜ Expanding gases in the combustion chamber escapes through the
nozzle at the lower end.