# How do I calculate the apogee of a rocket before launch?

• B
Is there any equation in order to know how high my rocket will go, before launching it? I suppose that if there is any, it will not take into account air drag and others, and there is no need for that. I just one to know an approximate, I am making a summer project with some friends and we had this question. Thanks in advance.

Dr. Courtney
Gold Member
There is not a simple equation, because the answer depends on many factors, ignoring air drag is not a reasonable assumption, and one needs to know the thrust curve also.

Do a search for

online model rocket height calculator

There is not a simple equation, because the answer depends on many factors, ignoring air drag is not a reasonable assumption, and one needs to know the thrust curve also.

Do a search for

online model rocket height calculator
Complex equation? I wanted to present this project to a local organisation and the demonstration of the process had to be shown and we would like to have these sort of calculations done on our own...

mfb
Mentor
Yes, but you have to know your rocket. In general, you can model the flight with a differential equation, solve that (worst case: numerically), and then find the maximal height.

Dr. Courtney