Rocket Propulsion & Variable Mass Dynamics Lab

Interactive Computational Physics Simulator & Educational Workbench
Developed by Shamsuddin Piash | Department of Mechanical Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET).

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🔬 Overview & Conceptual Motivation

Interactive aerospace mechanics simulation for the Tsiolkovsky rocket equation, variable mass dynamics, multi-stage optimization, and thrust vectoring.

Designed from first-principles physics and numerical mechanics, this simulation bridges textbook analytical theory and real-time computation. It enables students, researchers, and competitive engineering candidates to visualize dynamic force interactions, observe parametric trends, and verify conservation laws interactively.

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📐 Mathematical Formulation & Physics Derivations

Governing Dynamic Equations

The motion of a variable mass rocket in a gravitational field with atmospheric drag is governed by:

$$m(t) \frac{d\vec{v}}{dt} = \vec{F}_{thrust} + m(t)\vec{g} + \vec{F}_{drag}$$

Where instantaneous thrust $F_{thrust}$ is derived from fuel burn rate $\dot{m} = \frac{dm}{dt}$ and effective exhaust velocity $v_e$:

$$F_{thrust} = \dot{m} v_e + (p_e - p_a) A_e$$

Integrating across propellant depletion yields the classical Tsiolkovsky Rocket Equation:

$$\Delta v = v_e \ln\left(\frac{m_0}{m_f}\right) - \int_0^{t_b} g\sin\theta,dt - \int_0^{t_b} \frac{F_{drag}}{m(t)},dt$$

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✨ Key Features & Interactive Workbench

• Tsiolkovsky Trajectory Integrator: Real-time evaluation of payload ratio $\lambda = m_l / m_0$ and burnout velocity.
• Multi-Stage Staging Optimization: Simulates serial stage jettisoning to maximize terminal velocity.
• Dynamic Telemetry Dashboard: Monitors instantaneous mass $m(t)$, burn rate $\dot{m}$, Mach number, and acceleration $G$-force.
• Atmospheric Density Gradient: Models barometric altitude scaling $ ho(h) = ho_0 e^{-h/H}$ and drag resistance.

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🔒 Confidentiality, Security & Academic Integrity

This repository adheres strictly to professional security standards, privacy guidelines, and academic integrity policies:

• Proprietary & Institutional Protection: Underlying academic curricula, institutional questions, and confidential research data are sanitized and protected under institutional agreements.
• Environment & Secrets Hygiene: No private keys, passwords, or personal credentials are hardcoded. API tokens (e.g., Gemini AI or cloud compute) must be supplied via local .env files or secure CI/CD secrets.
• Vulnerability Reporting: Please refer to SECURITY.md for instructions on confidential disclosure.

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🛠️ Project Structure & Architecture

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├── src/
│   ├── components/       # UI panels, canvas renderer, sliders & controls
│   ├── utils/            # Physics solvers, RK4 ODE integration, vector math
│   ├── types.ts          # Strongly typed simulation interfaces
│   ├── App.tsx           # Primary application workbench
│   └── main.tsx          # Application root
├── public/               # Static assets & icons
├── metadata.json         # Simulator metadata & capabilities
├── package.json          # Dependencies & build scripts
├── tsconfig.json         # TypeScript compiler configuration
├── vite.config.ts        # Vite bundle & dev server configuration
├── SECURITY.md           # Confidentiality & vulnerability disclosure policy
└── LICENSE               # MIT License

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🚀 Quickstart & Local Setup

Prerequisites

• Node.js: v18.0.0 or higher
• npm or bun / pnpm

Installation

# 1. Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/piashoverflow/Rocket-Propulsion.git
cd Rocket-Propulsion

# 2. Install dependencies
npm install

# 3. Configure environment variables (if applicable)
cp .env.example .env

# 4. Launch the local development server
npm run dev

Visit http://localhost:3000 in your browser to interact with the simulation.

Production Build

npm run build
npm run preview

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👤 Author & Academic Affiliation

Shamsuddin Piash
B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering (Graduated March 2025)
Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET)
Dhaka, Bangladesh

• Portfolio Website: piashoverflow.github.io
• GitHub: @piashoverflow
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/shamsuddin-piash
• Email: mohammadshamsuddinpiash0722@gmail.com

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📜 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License — see the LICENSE file for complete details.