So still OpenRocket would need an adaptation where a stage could pitch over some time during the flight. This though is not the most efficient trajectory for an orbital flight. Problem is though while OpenRocket allows you to input starting altitude and starting pitch angle when you run a simulation it does not allow you to enter a starting velocity, so this emulation would be of the case where the upper stages start from 0 velocity. Then you run a separate sim with the remaining stages starting at that ending altitude provided by the first stage and at your desired starting pitch angle. The first is done so that it has the first booster stage run to completion and get to some altitude. So this would need to be a modification added to the software.Īt least with OpenRocket you can somewhat emulate it by doing two separate sim runs. The OpenRocket and RASAero sims though don't seem to have included this capability of changing the pitch angle, i.e., angle of attack, during the flight. Then can these sims be adapted to do sims of rockets to orbital space? Most rockets to orbit follow a flight to orbit making use of a " gravity turn." What this is is that the rocket makes a small angle pitch over maneuver, commonly only in the range of 3 to 5 degrees, and then we let gravity gradually turn the rocket horizontally so that the rocket is eventually thrusting horizontally, to achieve the needed tangential velocity for orbit. Then it is notable that free rocket trajectory simulators such as OpenRocket and RASAero can do sims even up to high altitude and at high Mach values while including the effects of supersonic air drag. The losses that arise from gravity drag and steering drag are easy to calculate. The most difficult part of getting a trajectory sim for a rocket to orbit is estimating the air drag on the rocket.
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