Vocab
Aerospace
A compound term used to describe the atmosphere and space as one medium. The science of aeronautics and space spoken as one medium. The science of aeronautics and space spoken as one.
A rate of change in the speed of an object over a unit of time.
- A chemical in a rocket motor that reacts with the fuel to provide combustion.
Oxidizer
Cluster
A group of rocket motors working together.
- Federal Aviation Administration. This is the governing body that controls all of the airspace above the USA.
FAA
Blast
- A burst of hot rocket motor exhaust.
The point where all of the fuel is expended and thrust is no longer provided.
Burn-out
The chemical, which reacts with oxygen to create thrust.
Fuel
Fin
An airfoil attached to the body. In the example of a model rocket, a fin is attached to aft section and adds stability in flight.
- The front edge of an airfoil. This is the edge that encounters the oncoming wind first
Leading Edge
Launch
-The takeoff
The balancing point of all of the mass. This is also known as the Center of Mass.
Center of Gravity
A chemical reaction that occurs inside the combustion chamber and provides a controlled explosion resulting in thrust.
Combustion
- An electrical device, usually nichrome wire, that provides enough heat to cause the chemical reaction between the fuel and the oxidizer.
Igniter
- As a rocket moves through the air, it creates a "wind" that travels in the opposite direction. This is the relative wind.
Relative Wind
Ejection
- To be forcefully moved.
A unit of gravity
A unit of gravity.
A component of an airplane or a rocket that causes a dynamic reaction from the air through which it moves. A fin is an airfoil.
Airfoil
Lateral Axis
The axis running through the center of gravity from side to side as viewed from the front. Movement about this axis is called "Pitch."
- A flame resistant material (usually paper) that is packed between the motor (ejection charge) and the recovery system. This keeps the heat from damaging the parachute, payload and/or streamer.
Wadding
Boost
The additional source of power or thrust.
The speed per unit of time in a given direction.
Velocity
- A component of fuel in a model rocket's motor that provides enough thrust to blow the recovery system out of the body.
Ejection Charge
Streamer
- A strip, or ribbon, of material used to slow the descent of a model rocket-other than a parachute
- A method of testing the basic stability of a model rocket.
Swing Test