Dynamics and Simulation of Flexible Rockets provides a full state, multiaxis treatment of launch vehicle flight mechanics and provides the state equations in a format that can be readily coded into a simulation environment. Various forms of the mass matrix for the vehicle dynamics are presented. The book also discusses important forms of coupling, such as between the nozzle motions and the flexible body.

This book is designed to help practicing aerospace engineers create simulations that can accurately verify that a space launch vehicle will successfully perform its mission. Much of the open literature on rocket dynamics is based on analysis techniques developed during the Apollo program of the 1960s. Since that time, large-scale computational analysis techniques and improved methods for generating Finite Element Models (FEMs) have been developed. The art of the problem is to combine the FEM with dynamic models of separate elements such as sloshing fuel and moveable engine nozzles. The pitfalls that may occur when making this marriage are examined in detail.

• Covers everything the dynamics and control engineer needs to analyze or improve the design of flexible launch vehicles
• Provides derivations using Lagrange’s equation and Newton/Euler approaches, allowing the reader to assess the importance of nonlinear terms
• Details the development of linear models and introduces frequency-domain stability analysis techniques
• Presents practical methods for transitioning between finite element models, incorporating actuator dynamics, and developing a preliminary flight control design