Rocket Heat Flow and Trajectory Model

A FlexPDE FEM simulation was used to model the heat transfer through a solid booster rocket from the internal combustion chamber towards the outsides as a function of the fuel flow rate. A separate kinematics simulation was used to determine the rocket’s horizontal range, considering drag forces, gravity, and thrust generated from the fuel. Python was then used to automate the FEM simulations via terminal commands so that the fuel flow rate could be optimized to maximize the horizontal distance travelled by the rocket while ensuring that the outer casing of the rocket did not overheat.