OpenRocket
 | |
 | |
| Original author(s) | Sampo Niskanen/Juustila |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | OpenRocket Development Team |
| Initial release | 2009 |
| Stable release | 22.02
/ 8 February 2023 |
| Repository | github |
| Written in | Java |
| Engine | |
| Operating system | Linux, macOS, Windows |
| Available in | 15 languages |
| Type | Model Rocket Simulator Software |
| License | GPL-3.0 |
| Website | openrocket |
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OpenRocket is an open-source model rocket simulator software that allows hobbyists, students, and engineers to design and simulate their rockets before they are physically built. Released under the GNU General Public License, it was initially developed in 2009 by Sampo Niskanen/Juustila as his Master's thesis at the Helsinki University of Technology.
Overview
OpenRocket is a comprehensive software tool for designing and simulating rockets. It is an entirely open-source program, utilizing the Java programming language, and can be run on Windows, macOS, and Linux operating systems. By using OpenRocket, users can predict the stability, performance, and overall flight characteristics of their rockets. The software provides an iterative design environment, enabling users to adjust the parameters of their rockets until they are satisfied with the theoretical performance. Similar software includes RockSim [1] , RASAero [2] , and RocketPy [3] , which also offer tools for rocket design and simulation.
History
OpenRocket originated as Sampo Niskanen/Juustila's Master's thesis, titled "Development of an Open Source model rocket simulation software" at the Helsinki University of Technology in 2009 [4]. After completing his thesis, Sampo decided to publish his work on SourceForge, making it available to the public as an open-source project.
In April 2010, the first official version, v1.0.0, was released. Two years later, in 2012, development moved from SourceForge to GitHub. It was also in this year that OpenRocket transitioned to a year.month (YY.MM) format for version numbering.
Following the 15.03 release in 2015, the project entered a prolonged period without new releases. This hiatus was largely due to the introduction of “pods” to the software's source code. The addition of pods, which allowed for the design and simulation of more complex rockets, proved to be a much larger task than anticipated and resulted in a temporary slowdown in development.
Finally, after nearly seven years without new releases, OpenRocket made a comeback with the 22.02 beta version in 2022. This was followed by the official release of version 22.02 in February 2023, marking the end of the software's hiatus.
Features
OpenRocket includes the following features:
- Rocket Design: OpenRocket allows users to design their own rockets from scratch or modify existing designs.
- Simulation: OpenRocket can perform full six-degree-of-freedom simulation of rocket flights, including both ascent and descent phases.
- Component Analysis: OpenRocket can analyze individual rocket components and calculate their individual contributions to overall rocket performance.
- Motor Selection: OpenRocket supports a comprehensive database of commercially available rocket motors.
- Recovery System Design: OpenRocket allows users to design and simulate the effectiveness of various recovery system designs, such as parachutes and gliders.
Development and Community
Since the first OpenRocket release in 2010, it has been continuously updated and improved by a dedicated community of developers. The project is hosted on GitHub, where users can contribute to its development, report bugs, and request new features.
OpenRocket's user community includes hobbyists, students, and professional engineers from around the world. Numerous online forums, tutorials, and user guides are available to help new users get started with the software.
Reception and Usage
OpenRocket is widely used in the model rocketry community for its intuitive design interface and accurate simulation capabilities. It is also used in educational settings as a practical tool for teaching principles of physics, engineering, and rocketry.[5] [6][7] [8] [9]
The software has received praise for its extensive feature set, user-friendly interface, and the active community that supports it. Its use in both hobbyist and professional settings demonstrates its versatility and robustness.[opinion]
See Also
Notes
References
- ↑ Si, Hnin; Saldanha, Clement; Min Naing, Zaw (December 2009). Simulation of Short Range Subsonic Surface to Surface Aerospace Launched Vehicle.
- ↑ . (23 July 2023). "Aerodynamic Shape Optimization of a Hypersonic Missile Geometry". 25th AIAA International Space Planes and Hypersonic Systems and Technologies Conference. American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. doi:10.2514/6.2023-3022. ISBN 978-1-62410-710-8. Unknown parameter
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- ↑ Ceotto, G. H., Schmitt, R. N., Alves, G. F., Pezente, L. A., Carmo, B. S. (1 November 2021). "RocketPy: Six Degree-of-Freedom Rocket Trajectory Simulator". Journal of Aerospace Engineering. American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). 34 (6). doi:10.1061/(asce)as.1943-5525.0001331.
- ↑ Niskanen, Sampo (2009). Development of an Open Source model rocket simulation software (MSc). Helsinki University of Technology.
- ↑ Michalek, Ota; Timmerman, Mike; Szczebak, Filip; Youds, Theodore; Del Pulgar, Jorge A. G.; Nallo, Gloria; Kutnohorsky, Viktoria; Lehtiniemi, Helena K.; Psaltakis, Georgios (April 2022). Findings from the ESA Education Fly a Rocket Campaign - Sensor Experiments Team. Barcelona: 4th Symposium on Space Educational Activities.
- ↑ Chandler, Frank (August 2019). "Design and Testing of a Small Launch Vehicle with Lessons Learned". AIAA Propulsion and Energy 2019 Forum. doi:10.2514/6.2019-4148. ISBN 978-1-62410-590-6. Unknown parameter
|s2cid=ignored (help) - ↑ Chandler, Frank (August 2019). "Design and Testing of a Small Launch Vehicle with Lessons Learned". AIAA Propulsion and Energy 2019 Forum. doi:10.2514/6.2019-4148. ISBN 978-1-62410-590-6. Unknown parameter
|s2cid=ignored (help) - ↑ Nanditta, R. V., Das, N. K., Venkatesan, A., Rohit, R., Gowtham, R., Nagulash Rahul B, ., Glad Stephen, J. D. (23 August 2021). "Structural Design and Analysis of High-Powered Model Rockets using OpenRocket". 6 (8).
- ↑ Nascimento Júnior, Domingos Sávio Pinheiro do; Gurgel, Jasson Fernandez; Reis, Marcello; Wehmann, Claus Franz (2022). "Development of a Model Rocket Trajectory Simulation Tool with Python". R. Bras. Fís. Tecnol. Apl. Revista Brasileira de Fisica Technologica Aplicada. 9 (2): 48–70. ISSN 2358-0089.
External Links
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