# Physics of Rocketry: Distance Traveled

by roldy
Tags: distance, physics, rocketry, traveled
 P: 194 Calculate the firing times for the acceleration and deceleration leg of the mission described below and also the distance traveled for each leg. I also need to calculate the initial mass of the vehicle. 1) acceleration leg from zero velocity to a final velocity of 25,000 m/s. 2) 360 'cruise' non-acceleration leg (constant velocity) at 25,000 m/s; systems shut down. 3) deceleration leg (delta V=25,000 m/s) This question is part of a bigger question of which I had to solve a couple things for. What's given: ISP=4000 seconds g=9.81 m/s^2 $$m_L$$=7000 kg I have calculated the mass flow rate of the propellant to be .006371 kg/s and the mass of the engine to be 3.42485 kg. Here is my work thus far. initial mass=mass of engine + mass of payload + mass of propellant $$m_0=m_e+m_L+m_p$$ $$\frac{m_0-m_p}{m_0}=e^{\frac{-\Delta V}{ISPg_0}}}$$ So I solve the above equation for $$m_p$$ and put into the first equation to obtain the equation below solved for $$m_0$$. $$m_0=\frac{m_e+m_L}{e^{\frac{-\Delta}{ISPg_0}}}$$ So plugging in the numbers where $$\Delta V$$=25000, I get the initial mass of the vehicle to be 13243.5 kg. This seems reasonable. Now this is where I get confused, how do I go about solving for the propellant mass in each leg and the distance traveled. I believe that I have to do some sort of integration for the distance traveled due to the mass constantly decreasing. Is there an equation or integration set up for this already?

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