Currently viewing the tag: "rockets"

Podcast Ep. #19 – Manuel Schleiffelder on the Hound Project and Metal Matrix Composites for Rockets

On October 23, 2018 · In Composite Materials, Podcast, Propulsion, Rocket Science, Space

Today I am speaking to Manuel Schleiffelder, an aerospace engineer based in Vienna, Austria. Manuel has a background in designing and building experimental rockets with the student space team of the Technical University in Vienna, known as the Hound Project. I spoke to Manuel after he returned from a trip to the Black Rock […]

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Supersonic Aerodynamics: Designing Rocket Nozzles

On July 16, 2016 · In Aerodynamics, Case Studies, Engineering, Rocket Science

(Caveat: There is a little bit more maths in this post than usual. I have tried to explain the equations as good as possible using diagrams. In any case, the real treat is at the end of the post where I go through the design of rocket nozzles. However, understanding this design methodology is naturally easier […]

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Rocket Science 101: Lightweight rocket shells

On June 16, 2016 · In Composite Materials, Engineering, Novel Materials/Tailored Structures, Rocket Science

This is the fourth and final part of a series of posts on rocket science. Part I covered the history of rocketry, Part II dealt with the operating principles of rockets and Part III looked at the components that go into the propulsive system.

One of […]

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Rocket Science 101: Fuel, engine and nozzle

On May 23, 2016 · In Engineering, Novel Materials/Tailored Structures, Rocket Science, Technology

This is the third in a series of posts on rocket science. Part I covered the history of rocketry and Part II dealt with the operating principles of rockets. If you have not checked out the latter post, I highly recommend you read this first before diving into what […]

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Rocket Science 101: Operating Principles

On April 24, 2016 · In Engineering, Rocket Science

In a previous post we covered the history of rocketry over the last 2000 years. By means of the Tsiolkovsky rocket equation we also established that the thrust produced by a rocket is equal to the mass flow rate of the expelled gases multiplied by their exit velocity. In this way, chemically fuelled […]

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The History of Rocket Science

On March 20, 2016 · In Engineering, History, Rocket Science

Rocket technology has evolved for more than 2000 years. Today’s rockets are a product of a long tradition of ingenuity and experimentation, and combine technical expertise from a wide array of engineering disciplines. Very few, if any, of humanity’s inventions are designed to withstand equally extreme conditions. Rockets are subjected to awesome g-forces at lift-off, and […]

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