1. Stephen Bluestone January 31, 2008 Propulsion – Propellants Initial Rocket Sizing Research help from: Dana Lattibeaudiere and Nicole Wilcox
AAE 450 Spring 2008

2. Particulars of Sizing Code
Inputs
User: Propellant/Stage, Payload Mass, Inert Mass Fraction/Stage, (Stage DeltaV %)
Auto: DeltaV, Avionic Mass/Stage, Isp-cost-density/Propellant
Outputs
Propellant Mass/Stage, DeltaV %/Stage, Stage Mass, Stage-Total Mass, Stage-Total Cost (Volume/tank)
AAE 450 Spring 2008
Propulsion – Propellants

3. Example of Input and Output
The total mass of the first stage is : (kg)
The total mass of the second stage is : (kg)
The total mass of the third stage is : (kg)
The total mass of the rocket is : (kg)
The first stage runs for % of the Delta V
The second stage runs for % of the Delta V
The third stage runs for % of the Delta V
The mass of the propellant of the first stage is : (kg)
The mass of the propellant of the second stage is : (kg)
The mass of the propellant of the third stage is : (kg)
The total mass of the propellant is : (kg)
The cost of the propellant in stage one is : $
The cost of the propellant in stage two is : $
The cost of the propellant in stage three is : $
The total cost of propellant is : $
Code by Stephen Bluestone
and Nicole Wilcox
AAE 450 Spring 2008
Propulsion - Propellants

4. Equations Space Propulsion Analysis and Design Propulsion
AAE 450 Spring 2008
Propulsion

5. Resources
Humble, R. W., Henry, G. N., Larson, W. J., Space Propulsion Analysis and Design, McGraw-Hill, New York, NY, 1995.
Sutton, George P., Biblarz, Oscar “Solid Propellants,” Rocket Propulsion Elements, 7th ed., Wiley, New York, 2001.
Ventura, M., “The Lowest Cost Rocket Propulsion System,” General Kinetics Inc, Huntington Beach, CA, Jul
AAE 450 Spring 2008