60 lines
2.8 KiB
TeX
60 lines
2.8 KiB
TeX
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\chapter{Conclusion}
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\label{chap-conclusion}
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Model rocketry is an intriguing sport which combines various fields
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ranging from aerodynamic design to model construction to
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pyrotechnics. At its best, it works as an inspiration for youngsters
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to study engineering and sciences.
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This thesis work provides one of the computer-age tools for everybody
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intrested in model rocket design. Providing everybody free access to
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a full-fledged rocket simulator allows many more hobbyists to
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experiment with different kinds of rocket designs and become more
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involved in the sport. The most enthusiastic rocketeers may dive
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even deeper and get to examine not only the simulation results, but
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also how those simulations are actually performed.
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The software produced contains an easy-to-use interface, which allows
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new users to start experimenting with the minimum effort. The
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back-end is designed to be easily extensible, in anticipation of
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future enhancements. This thesis also includes a step-by-step process
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for computing the aerodynamical characteristics of a rocket and for
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simulating its flight. These are the current default implementations
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used by the software.
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Comparison to experimental data shows that the most important
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aerodynamical parameters for flight simulation---the center of
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pressure location and drag coefficient---are simulated with an
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accuracy of approximately 10\% at subsonic velocities. In this
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velocity regime the accuracy of the simulated altitude is on par with
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the commercial simulation software RockSim. While comparison with
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supersonic rockets was not possible, it is expected that the
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simulation is reasonably accurate to at least Mach~1.5.
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The six degree of freedom simulator also allows simulating rocket roll
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in order to study the effect of roll stabilization, a feature
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not available in other hobby-level rocket simulators. While the
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comparison with experimental data of a rolling rocket was
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inconclusive as to its accuracy, it is still expected to give valuable
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insight into the effects of roll during flight.
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The external listener classes that can be attached to the simulator
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allow huge potential for custom extensions. For example testing the
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active roll reduction controller that will be included in the
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successor project of Haisun<75><6E>t<EFBFBD> would have been exceedingly difficult
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without such support. By interfacing the actual controller with a
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simulated flight environment it was possible to discover various bugs
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in the controller software that would otherwise have gone undetected.
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Finally, it must be emphasized that the release of the OpenRocket
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software is not the end of this project. In line with the Open Source
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philosophy, it is just the beginning of its development cycle,
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where anybody with the know-how can contribute to making OpenRocket an
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even better simulation environment.
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