Rocketry Planet

Rogers Aeroscience has updated the RASAero web site with a comparison of the RASAero flight simulation predicted altitude and velocity versus time with flight data for the Curt Newport and Jeff Taylor Proteus 6 rocket.  The comparison has been added to the new RASAero Comparisons with Flight Data page on the web site.

The RASAero flight simulation predicted altitude for the Proteus 6 rocket has an error of only 2.04% compared to an apogee altitude of 85,000 ft based on the average of the apogee altitudes from two on-board accelerometers.  The RASAero predicted max velocity has an error of only 3.25% compared to the max velocity of 3,201 ft/sec (Mach 2.94) based on the average of the max velocities from the two on-board accelerometers.  The RASAero predicted parachute descent time has an error of only 6.22% compared to the parachute descent time from barometric altimeter and GPS flight data for the parachute descent.

The RASAero Comparisons with Altitude Data page has been updated with the Proteus 6 altitude comparison, and a comparison of the RASAero predicted altitude with flight data for the OuR Project R Rocket.  The RASAero flight simulation predicted altitude for the OuR Project R Rocket has an error of only 8.94% compared to the apogee altitude of 94,000 ft based on time to apogee flight data from an on-board video camera which transmitted to a ground station.

The RASAero Comparisons with Altitude Data page presents a 27 rocket study of RASAero predicted altitude compared with flight data for rockets which were flown from 3,500 ft to 94,000 ft based on barometric altimeter, optical tracking, accelerometer, and time to apogee flight data.  The average error in the RASAero predicted altitude is only 3.25%.  RASAero predicted the apogee altitude of 81.5% of the rockets to within +/- 10% of the flight data, and 40.7% of the rockets to within +/- 5% of the flight data.

The RASAero authors are always looking for flight data to compare our altitude predictions against to help further improve the accuracy of our flight simulations.  Flight data from rockets flown with barometric altimeters, GPS altimeters, and accelerometers are all being actively sought by the RASAero authors.  Note that it is important for the flight data that the rocket have been weighed prior to launch for an accurate liftoff weight.  The flight data and rocket information can be sent to the e-mail address below.

Additional information on the RASAero software can be found on the RASAero web site at www.rasaero.com.  The RASAero authors, Charles E. (Chuck) Rogers and David (Coop) Cooper can be contacted at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it .

Chuck Rogers
Rogers Aeroscience