Methodology for Determining the Optimal Mass Ratio of Fuel Charges for an Aft Gas Generator and a Rocket Engine from the Perspective of Achieving Maximum Range

A methodology for determining the optimal mass ratio of the propellant charges for an aft gas generator and a rocket motor has been proposed, aiming to achieve the maximum flight range of a vehicle. The methodology is based on the principle of maximizing the total impulse, which includes both the solid rocket motor impulse and the conditional impulse of the aft gas generator (the impulse counteracting the base drag). Unlike traditional approaches that consider only the engine’s thrust characteristics, this method accounts for the contribution of the aft gas generator to improving the vehicle’s energetics by compensating for base drag. This allows for a more accurate assessment of the influence of the propellant mass ratio on the ballistic performance. Based on the proposed methodology, an evaluation of the effectiveness of using a combined propulsion system is provided.
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