AirBrakes Class#

class rocketpy.AirBrakes[source]#

AirBrakes class. Inherits from AeroSurface.

Variables:

  • AirBrakes.drag_coefficient (Function) – Drag coefficient as a function of deployment level and Mach number.

  • AirBrakes.drag_coefficient_curve (int, float, callable, array, string, Function) – Curve that defines the drag coefficient as a function of deployment level and Mach number. Used as the source of AirBrakes.drag_coefficient.

  • AirBrakes.deployment_level (float) – Current deployment level, ranging from 0 to 1. Deployment level is the fraction of the total airbrake area that is deployed.

  • AirBrakes.reference_area (int, float) – Reference area used to calculate the drag force of the air brakes from the drag coefficient curve. Units of m^2.

  • AirBrakes.clamp (bool, optional) – If True, the simulation will clamp the deployment level to 0 or 1 if the deployment level is out of bounds. If False, the simulation will not clamp the deployment level and will instead raise a warning if the deployment level is out of bounds. Default is True.

  • AirBrakes.name (str) – Name of the air brakes.

__init__(drag_coefficient_curve, reference_area, clamp=True, override_rocket_drag=False, deployment_level=0, name='AirBrakes')[source]#

Initializes the AirBrakes class.

Parameters:

  • drag_coefficient_curve (int, float, callable, array, string, Function) –

    This parameter represents the drag coefficient associated with the air brakes and/or the entire rocket, depending on the value of override_rocket_drag.

    • If a constant, it should be an integer or a float representing a fixed drag coefficient value.

    • If a function, it must take two parameters: deployment level and Mach number, and return the drag coefficient. This function allows for dynamic computation based on deployment and Mach number.

    • If an array, it should be a 2D array with three columns: the first column for deployment level, the second for Mach number, and the third for the corresponding drag coefficient.

    • If a string, it should be the path to a .csv or .txt file. The file must contain three columns: the first for deployment level, the second for Mach number, and the third for the drag coefficient.

    • If a Function, it must take two parameters: deployment level and Mach number, and return the drag coefficient.

    Note

    For override_rocket_drag = False, at deployment level 0, the drag coefficient is assumed to be 0, independent of the input drag coefficient curve. This means that the simulation always considers that at a deployment level of 0, the air brakes are completely retracted and do not contribute to the drag of the rocket.

  • reference_area (int, float) – Reference area used to calculate the drag force of the air brakes from the drag coefficient curve. Units of m^2.

  • clamp (bool, optional) – If True, the simulation will clamp the deployment level to 0 or 1 if the deployment level is out of bounds. If False, the simulation will not clamp the deployment level and will instead raise a warning if the deployment level is out of bounds. Default is True.

  • override_rocket_drag (bool, optional) – If False, the air brakes drag coefficient will be added to the rocket’s power off drag coefficient curve. If True, during the simulation, the rocket’s power off drag will be ignored and the air brakes drag coefficient will be used for the entire rocket instead. Default is False.

  • deployment_level (float, optional) – Current deployment level, ranging from 0 to 1. Deployment level is the fraction of the total airbrake area that is Deployment. Default is 0.

  • name (str, optional) – Name of the air brakes. Default is “AirBrakes”.

Return type:

None

property deployment_level#

Returns the deployment level of the air brakes.

evaluate_center_of_pressure()[source]#

Evaluates the center of pressure of the aerodynamic surface in local coordinates.

For air brakes, all components of the center of pressure position are 0.

Return type:

None

evaluate_lift_coefficient()[source]#

Evaluates the lift coefficient curve of the aerodynamic surface.

For air brakes, the current model assumes no lift is generated. Therefore, the lift coefficient (C_L) and its derivative relative to the angle of attack (C_L_alpha), is 0.

Return type:

None

evaluate_geometrical_parameters()[source]#

Evaluates the geometrical parameters of the aerodynamic surface.

Return type:

None

info()[source]#

Prints and plots summarized information of the aerodynamic surface.

Return type:

None

all_info()[source]#

Prints and plots all information of the aerodynamic surface.

Return type:

None