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Lecture

Rocket Fuel Consumption and Altitude Determination

In course

PHYS-101(en): General physics : mechanics (English)

Students will learn the principles of mechanics to enable a better understanding of physical phenomena, such as the kinematics and dyamics of point masses and solid bodies. Students will acquire the capacity to quantitatively analyze these effects with the ...

Description

This lecture covers the determination of a rocket's speed and altitude when the fuel is exhausted, considering the mass of the rocket, fuel consumption rate, and velocity of the ejected gases. It also involves applying Newton's second law to calculate momentum and altitude.

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Instructors (3)

Suliana Manley

From 2016 Associate professor, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland 2009-2016 Tenure-track assistant professor, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland 2006-2009 Post-Doctoral fellow, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA 2004-2006 Post-Doctoral fellow, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA 1999-2004 PhD (Physics) Awarded 06/2004, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA 1993-1997 Bachelors (Cum Laude) Physics & Mathematics, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA

Marcelo Baquero Ruiz

Justin Richard Ball

Official source

Related concepts (32)

Spacecraft propulsion

Spacecraft propulsion is any method used to accelerate spacecraft and artificial satellites. In-space propulsion exclusively deals with propulsion systems used in the vacuum of space and should not be confused with space launch or atmospheric entry. Several methods of pragmatic spacecraft propulsion have been developed, each having its own drawbacks and advantages. Most satellites have simple reliable chemical thrusters (often monopropellant rockets) or resistojet rockets for orbital station-keeping and some use momentum wheels for attitude control.

Newton's laws of motion

Newton's laws of motion are three basic laws of classical mechanics that describe the relationship between the motion of an object and the forces acting on it. These laws can be paraphrased as follows: A body remains at rest, or in motion at a constant speed in a straight line, unless acted upon by a force. When a body is acted upon by a force, the time rate of change of its momentum equals the force. If two bodies exert forces on each other, these forces have the same magnitude but opposite directions.

Laser propulsion

Laser propulsion is a form of beam-powered propulsion where the energy source is a remote (usually ground-based) laser system and separate from the reaction mass. This form of propulsion differs from a conventional chemical rocket where both energy and reaction mass come from the solid or liquid propellants carried on board the vehicle. The basic concepts underlying a photon-propelled "sail" propulsion system were developed by Eugene Sanger and the Hungarian physicist György Marx.

Propulsion

Propulsion is the generation of force by any combination of pushing or pulling to modify the translational motion of an object, which is typically a rigid body (or an articulated rigid body) but may also concern a fluid. The term is derived from two Latin words: pro, meaning before or forward; and pellere, meaning to drive. A propulsion system consists of a source of mechanical power, and a propulsor (means of converting this power into propulsive force).

Spacecraft electric propulsion

Spacecraft electric propulsion (or just electric propulsion) is a type of spacecraft propulsion technique that uses electrostatic or electromagnetic fields to accelerate mass to high speed and thus generate thrust to modify the velocity of a spacecraft in orbit. The propulsion system is controlled by power electronics. Electric thrusters typically use much less propellant than chemical rockets because they have a higher exhaust speed (operate at a higher specific impulse) than chemical rockets.

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