openrocket/datafiles/tours/creating_design/creating_design.tour

Creating a simple rocket design

<p>This tour shows how to create a simple rocket design from scratch.


[initial.jpg]

<p>When you choose to create a new design, you are presented with a blank
design and the <em>Rocket configuration</em> dialog is displayed.
Here you can enter general information on the rocket design, such as
the design name, designer, comments and revision information.

<p>You can later open this dialog by double-clicking on the root
component in the component tree.


[main-1.jpg]

<p>Next, add a <em>Nose cone</em> to the design by clicking the
corresponding component addition button.  This opens the nose cone
configuration dialog.


[dialog-1.jpg]

<p>The configuration dialog contains settings for the nose cone shape,
dimensions and material.  Set the nose cone length to 10&nbsp;cm,
base diameter to 2.5&nbsp;cm and material to Polystyrene (plastic).

<p>To use inches, either click the unit to change it, or change the
default units in <a href="FIXME">Preferences</a>.


[main-2.jpg]

<p>The design window displays the nose cone.  Next, add a <em>Body
tube</em> to the design.


[dialog-2.jpg]

<p>Change the body tube length to 25&nbsp;cm.  The <em>Automatic</em>
option for the outer diameter is ticked by default, in which case the
diameter is automatically the same as that of the nose cone.


[main-3.jpg]

<p>Next, add a <em>Trapezoidal fin set</em> to the rocket.  The body
tube must be selected in order to add the component.


[dialog-3.jpg]

<p>The trapezoidal fin set has numerous dimension parameters.  The
most important are the root and tip chord (length next to the body
tube and tip), height and sweep.

<p>The default values are okay for the example design.


[main-4.jpg]

<p>Next, add an <em>Inner tube</em> as a motor mount.  Select the body
tube, and then click the component addition button.


[dialog-4.jpg]

<p>The default dimensions are suitable for Estes A-C motors.  To have
the motor mount overhang a bit, change the position parameter to
<em>Bottom of parent component</em> plus 0.5&nbsp;cm.


[main-5.jpg]

<p>To add <em>Centering rings</em> to keep the mount in place, select
the body tube and click the centering ring button.

<p>(If you have the inner tube selected when clicking, the centering
ring will be added inside the inner tube.  Use <b>Edit</b> &rarr;
<b>Undo</b> to undo the latest action.)


[dialog-5.jpg]

<p>The centering ring automatically selects the appropriate outer and
inner diameter when the <em>Automatic</em> checkboxes are selected.

<p>Move the centering ring to the front of the engine mount by setting
the position parameter to <em>Bottom of parent component</em> plus
-5.0&nbsp;cm.

<p>Next add another centering ring at the aft end with position
parameter zero.


[main-6.jpg]

<p>Next add a <em>Parachute</em> to the body tube.


[dialog-6.jpg]

<p>The <em>canopy diameter</em> and <em>drag coefficient</em>
determine how much the parachute slows down the rocket during descent.
The <em>material</em> and <em>shroud lines</em> affect the total
mass.  The <em>packed length</em>, <em>diameter</em> and
<em>position</em> affect the packed size and location of the
parachute.

<p>The <em>Deploys at</em> propery can be used to affect when the
parachute deploys.  For <em>First ejection charge of this stage</em>
option will deploy the parachute when the ejection charge is fired, as
is typical in small model rockets.


[main-7.jpg]

<p>Now the functional aspects of the rocket design are complete.

<p>For completeness you can still attach a <em>Mass component</em> to
the body tube for wadding, and an <em>Engine block</em> to the inner
tube for holding the motor in place.


[final.jpg]

<p>Now the rocket design is complete.

<p>You can now continue to
<a href="defining_motors/defining_motors">defining motors</a> to your
rocket.