With the days of getting to Mars seeming nearer than ever and advancements in space technology happening every day, everyone is just excited about the big changes in space technology. Yet rarely does one ask about model rockets. Even though the electronics and aerodynamics of model rockets improved, model rocket engines haven’t changed much, it still stuck to the same principle of using solid fuel to propel the rocket. Yet with professional rockets getting more and more complicated, it is time to give an upgrade to these tiny rocket engines.
Model Rocket Engines
Model rocket engines were originally derived rocket motors that shoot fireworks into the sky. It consists of mostly solid propellant, some delay charge, and an ejection charge on the top of the engine. The ejection charge is used to pop open the parachute while the delay charge delays the ejection charge firing. The different classes of model rocket engines are used to differentiate between the power of the motor. With an increase in the class of the motor, the power output will double. As a result, you should get twice as high on the same model rocket if you increase the class of the rocket engine.
Thrust Vectoring
Thrust vectoring is what a rocket nowadays uses to maintain its course but can be also used on aircrafts such as the F-22 Raptor and the Su-35. Thrust vectoring works by redirecting thrust to different directions to change the heading of the object. It was invented because the lack of atmosphere in suborbital or orbital conditions wouldn’t allow traditional aerodynamic control systems to work. There are several methods of thrust vectoring, the most commonly used method by the US is the gimbaled thrust. This is where the engine’s nozzle or the whole engine moves to redirect thrust.
Thrust Vectoring On Model Rocket Engines
How The Thrust Vectoring Would Work
To achieve thrust vectoring on model rocket engines would be a little different from traditional thrust vectoring because of how tiny the rocket engine is and its cylindrical shape. The rocket engine would need to be fitted in a casing that would allow the entire rocket motor to move in all directions to make it work. Then, there would also be two actuators 90 degrees apart moving two struts also 90 degrees apart connected to the nozzle end of the rocket engine.
How To Evaluate If The Rocket Is Going Off Course
For evaluating if the rocket is going off course, it would be using gyro sensors. Gyro sensors are sensors that detect a change in motion, it is also much more sensitive than a human. Hence, if it detects a change in direction of the rocket, it would then tell the flight computer the change. Subsequently, the flight computer would calculate how much in which direction the rocket engine should turn towards. After the maneuver of the motor, the course should be corrected which would keep the rocket on its course. This process will then be repeated until either the rocket runs out of fuel or the target is reached.
Why Is This Important
Even though all the “thrust vectoring for model rockets” may sound cool, the million-dollar question is “Why does it matter and how will it affect us?”. With thrust vectoring for model rockets, it would allow model rockets to be much more realistic and the rockets won’t just disappear in a few seconds after launching but will actually be like a real rocket and slowly build up speed and then slowly disappear. Not only that, but it would allow model rockets to land by themselves, like SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket booster. So not only will the model rockets be more realistic, but they could also open up a new chapter in Model rocket flights.
