Level: Beginner
Zachary Yam, President, Homestead High School Aerospace Club
Abraham Li, Student, Homestead High School Aerospace Club
Brian Tam, Student, Homestead High School Aerospace Club
Kelvin Tam, Student, Homestead High School Aerospace Club
Osman Wong, Student, Homestead High School Aerospace Club
Carl Lerdorf, Student, Homestead High School Aerospace Club
Experimental rocketry requires consistent data collection and statistical analysis to optimize flight parameters for various applications. Participation in the Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC) requires optimization of several outputs, including the altitude, duration of flight and the properties of the cargo, which must survive the flight that meets the requirements. The variables of the experimental rockets are allowed to vary within defined ranges, therefore the mean variables used of this optimization included rocket mass and external dimensions and the type of the motor. In addition, the data for the number of environmental factors, such as temperature and wind strengths, were collected and entered into the model to assess the effect of these variables on the flight results. It was shown that while the engine parameters play a defining role in flight presentation, the variability of the motor performance required a separate analysis within each motor category. The mass of the rocket was the most significant factor affecting the flight parameters within each engine category (P<0.0001).