16.

512, Rocket Propulsion

Prof. Manuel Martinez-Sanchez
Lecture 33: Performance to LEO

∆V Calculations for Launches to Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

Ideal Earth-to-orbit launch

∆V1 cos α RE = v2' R

∆V12 µ V '2 µ
− = 2 −
2 RE 2 R

2
1⎛ RE ⎞ µ
= ⎜ ∆V1 cosα ⎟ −
2⎝ R ⎠ R

µ µ
−
R∈ R
∆V12 = 2 2
⎛R ⎞
1 − ⎜ ∈ ⎟ cos2α
⎝R⎠

RE
1−
µ R
∆V1 = 2 2
RE ⎛ R ⎞
1 − ⎜ E ⎟ cos2α
⎝ R ⎠

µ
vc =
R

⎡ ⎤
RE ⎢ R ⎥
1− 1− E
µ R∈ µ R µ ⎢ RE RE R ⎥
∆V2 = v c − v '2 = − cos α 2 = − cos α 2
R R R∈ ⎛ RE ⎞
2
RE ⎢ R R ⎛ R ⎞
2 ⎥
α ⎢ ⎥
⎟ cos α
2 2
1−⎜ ⎟ cos 1−⎜ E

⎝ R ⎠ ⎢⎣ ⎝ R ⎠ ⎥⎦

∆V 2 (1 − η ) 1 −η
∆V = ∆V1 + ∆V2 = + η − η cos α 2 '
µ / R∈ 1 − η cos α
2 2
1 − η 2 cos2α

R∈ ∆V 1 − η cos α
=η = 2 (1 − η ) + η (increasing f.of α )
R µ / R∈ 1 + η cos α

(1 − η )
2
∆VMIN
For α = 0 = 2 + η
µ / RE 1+η

16.512, Rocket Propulsion Lecture 33

Prof. Manuel Martinez-Sanchez Page 1 of 9
 Note: Max at η = 0.064178 → R = 99,260 km (worst altitude)

⎛ ∆V ⎞
⎜ MIN
⎟ = 1.5363
⎜ µ /R ⎟
⎝ F ⎠MAX

⎛ µ ⎞
⎜⎜ = 7910 m / s ⎟
⎟
⎝ R∈ ⎠

1 1 ε
−1 = ε η = 1 −η =
η 1+ε 1+ε
2+ε
1+η =
1+ε

ε2 1+ε 1 ε 3 3 ε 3
 2 + = 1 − + ε 2... + ε − ε 2 = 1 + − ε 2...
(1 + ε ) 1 + ε /2 1+ε 2 8 4 2 8
2

⎛ 3 ⎞
ε ⎜1 − ε ...⎟ α =0 η = 0.9 → 1.05128
⎝ 4 ⎠
(approx. 1.05093)

∆V / µ / R∈ η = 0.15095 η = 0.23951 η = 0.87620 η = 0.91392 η = 0.95502

( ∆V ) (GEO, ⎛1 ⎞ (Z = 900 Km) (Z = 600 Km) (Z = 300 Km)
R=42,200Km) ⎜ 2 day, η = 26,580 Km ⎟
⎝ ⎠
α = 00 1.50775 1.45534 1.06387 1.04399 1.02275
(11,918 m/s) (11,504 m/s) (8,409 m/s) (8252 m/s) (8,084 m/s)
α = 150 1.51366 1.46373 1.07960 1.05952 1.03748
(11,965 m/s) (11,570 m/s) (8,534 m/s) (8375 m/s) (8201 m/s)
α = 300 1.53109 1.48854 1.12032 1.09755 1.06953
(12,102 m/s) (11,766 m/s) (8,856 m/s) (8676 m/s) (8454 m/s)

∆V1 ε 5ε 2 ∆V2 ε 7ε 2
NOTE: 1+ −  −
µ / RE 4 32 µ / RE 4 32

So, for LEO, mainly ∆V1 (apogee kick)

Sticking to α = 0 , variation with R

16.512, Rocket Propulsion Lecture 33

Prof. Manuel Martinez-Sanchez Page 2 of 9
 1 R 1.1 1.05 2 4 6 10 15.6
= = 1.05
η R∈
∆V 1.02041 1.04651 1.18164 1.28446 1.44868 1.49934 1.52978 1.53626
µ / R∈

Effects of Earth’s Rotation

(a) ∆V reduction

Ω R∈ = 463 m / sec

β is launch azimuth w.r.t

East

( α = 0 , near-horizontal
launch)

∆V1 = rocket-imparted ∆V

Starting velocity (abs.) is now

( ∆V1 ) + ( Ω R∈ cos L ) + 2∆V1 ( Ω R∈ cos L ) cos β

2 2
v1 =

So, v1 replaces ∆V1 in previous formulation

16.512, Rocket Propulsion Lecture 33

Prof. Manuel Martinez-Sanchez Page 3 of 9
 RE µ
1− 2
µ R R µ R / RE
v1 = 2 ⎯⎯⎯ ⎯
→ E
=
RE ⎛ RE ⎞
2 α =0
R ⎛ RE + R ⎞
1 + E
⎟ cos α
2
1−⎜ R ⎜ 2 ⎟
⎝ R ⎠ ⎝ ⎠

R
2µ
RE
= ( ∆V1 ) + ( Ω R∈ cos L ) + 2∆V1 ( ΩRE cos L ) cos β
2 2

R + RE

R
2µ
RE
∆V1 = − ( Ω RE cos L ) cos β + ( ΩR∈ cos L cos β ) − ( ΩRE cos L )
2 2
+
R + RE

R
2µ
R∈
− ( Ω RE cos L sin β )
2
∆V1 = − Ω RE cos L cos β +
R + R∈

Notice rotation reduces ∆V1 even for β = 900 . The benefit is low for some larger β
(Westwards launch). For v1 = ∆V1 , need

Ω R∈ cos L
cos β = −  −0.056 cos L (for ∆V1 = 8200 m / s )
2∆V1

(for L = 28.50 , β = 92.80 )

Example: For L = 28.50 , R = 6370+500 = 6870 Km,

∆V1 = −407 cos β + 6.48399× 107 − ( 407 sin β )

2

(8052.8)
2

β (0) 0 ±300 ±600 ±900 ±1200 ±1500 ±1800

∆V1 (m/s)’ 7645 m/s 7694 7841 8042 8248 8402 8459
∆V1 reduction 407 m/s 355 m/s 211 m/s 10 m/s -195 m/s -350 m/s -407 m/s

16.512, Rocket Propulsion Lecture 33

Prof. Manuel Martinez-Sanchez Page 4 of 9
(b) Orbit inclination

For β = 0 (launch due East), i = L. For any other azimuth, higher inclination.

vR = ΩR∈ cos L

vR ∆V1
=
sin ( β − γ ) sin γ

Sin γ ⎛ sin γ ⎞
vR = ∆V1 ⎜ sin β cos γ − cos β ⎟
Cos γ ⎝ cos γ ⎠

∆V1 sin β
tan γ =
∆V1 cos β + v R

tan β
tan γ =
⎛ vR ⎞
1+ ⎜ ⎟
∆
⎝ 1V cos β ⎠

Given two angles and the side included, find opposite angle

( )
cos i = −cos 900 − γ cos 900 + sin ( 90 − γ ) sin 90 cos L = cos γ cos L

16.512, Rocket Propulsion Lecture 33

Prof. Manuel Martinez-Sanchez Page 5 of 9
Example: Continuing from previous example,

L = 28.50 → vR = 407 m / s, ' R = 500 Km → RE

tan β
tan γ = , cos i = 0.87882 cos γ
407
1+
∆V1 cos β
∆V1 from previous table

β 0 300 600 900 1200 1500 1800

α 0 28.540 57.490 87.100 117.490 148.550 1800
i 28.50 39.50 61.80 87.50 113.90 ( 41.4 )
0
(28.5 )0

(66.1 )0

retro-orbits (westwards)

−300 −600 −900

−28.500 −57.390
39.40 61.70

slightly different inclination

In reality, we probably require the orbit altitude, the orbit inclination and then launch
azimuth β must be calculated

cos i ⎛ cos i ⎞ 1 cos2 L

cos γ = γ = cos −1 ⎜ ⎟ 1 + tan2 γ = =
cos L ⎝ cos L ⎠ cos γ
2
cos2 i

cos2 L ∆V1 sin β

tan γ = −1 =
2
cos i ∆V cos β + v R

cos2 i
sin γ = 1 −
cos2 L

R
2µ
R∈
with ∆V1 = − vR2 sin2 β − v R cos β ∆V1 cos β tan γ + vR tan γ = ∆V1 sin β
R + R∈

16.512, Rocket Propulsion Lecture 33

Prof. Manuel Martinez-Sanchez Page 6 of 9
 R
2µ
RE v R tan γ vR
or ( ∆V1 )
2
+ vR2 + 2vR ∆V1 cos β = ∆V1 = =
R + RE sin β − cos β tan γ sin β
− cos β
tan γ
R
2µ
v R2 2 v 2
cos β R
+ v R2 + R
= E

⎛ sin β ⎞
2
sin β R + R
− cos β E
⎜ tan γ − cos β ⎟ tan γ
⎝ ⎠

R
2µ
⎡ ⎛ sin β
2
⎛ sin β ⎤ 2
⎞ ⎞ RE ⎛ sin β ⎞
vR2 ⎢1 + ⎜ − cos β ⎟ + 2 cos β ⎜ − cos β ⎟ ⎥ = ⎜ − cos β ⎟
⎢⎣ ⎝ tan γ ⎠ ⎝ tan γ ⎠ ⎥⎦ R + RE ⎝ tan γ ⎠

sin2 β 2sin β cos β 2sin β cos β

1+ + cos2 β − + − 2cos2 β
tan γ
2
tan γ tan γ

⎛ 1 ⎞
sin2 β ⎜1 + ⎟
⎝ tan2 γ ⎠

R
2µ 2
sin2 β R ⎛ 1 1 ⎞
vR2 = E
sin2γ ⎜ − ⎟
sin2γ R + RE ⎝ tan γ tan β ⎠

1
tan β =
1 v R + RE
− R
tan γ sin γ R
2µ
RE

tan γ
tan β =
vR R + RE
1−
cos γ R
2µ
RE

L = 28.50 1
Check: ) → γ = 57.470 → tan β = 0
= 1.7308
0
i = 61.8 ⎛ 407 ⎞
0.6377 − ⎜ ⎟
⎝ 0.8431 × 8053 ⎠

β = 59.980 ( 600 )

16.512, Rocket Propulsion Lecture 33

Prof. Manuel Martinez-Sanchez Page 7 of 9
 cos2 L
−1
tan β = cos2 i
cos L R + RE
1 − vR
cos i R
2µ
RE

cos2 L − cos2 i
tan β =
v R cos L
cos i −
⎛ ⎞
⎜ ⎟
⎜ R + R E ⎟
−1
⎜ R ⎟
⎜ 2 µ
⎝ RE ⎟⎠

V1 vR
Directly: =
sin β sin ( β − α )

vR sin γ
= cos γ −
V1 tan β

sin γ 1 − cos2γ
tan β = =
vR v
cos γ − cos γ − R
V1 V1

cos i
and cos γ =
cos L

v R Cos L
Cos i −
Cos2 β =
1
=
1
=
( )
1 + tan2 β Cos2 L − Cos2 i ⎛ ⎞
2
1+ 2 ⎜ v R Cos L ⎟ − 2 cos i v R cos L + cos2 L
⎛ ⎞
⎜ Cos i − v R Cos L ⎟ (
⎜⎜
⎝ ) ⎟⎟
⎠ ( )
⎜⎜
⎝ ( ) ⎟⎟
⎠

tan α 1 tan2 γ
tan β = = 1 + tan2 β = 1 +
vR R + RE cos β ⎛ vR R + R∈ ⎞
2

1− ⎜⎜1 − ⎟⎟
cos γ 2µ R / RE cos γ 2 µ R / R∈
⎝ ⎠

16.512, Rocket Propulsion Lecture 33

Prof. Manuel Martinez-Sanchez Page 8 of 9
 vR 1
∆V1 =
cos β tan β
−1
tan γ

2
vR cos γ ⎛ vR R + RE ⎞
∆V1 = ⎜1 − ⎟ + tan2 γ
R + R∈ ⎜ cos γ 2µ R / RE ⎟
vR ⎝ ⎠
2µ R / RE

v R cos γ 1 v 2R ⎛ R + RE ⎞ vR ⎛ R + RE ⎞
= + 2 ⎜ ⎟−2 ⎜ ⎟
R + RE cos γ cos γ ⎝ 2µ R / RE ⎠
2
cos γ ⎝ 2µ R / RE ⎠
vR
2µ

16.512, Rocket Propulsion Lecture 33

Prof. Manuel Martinez-Sanchez Page 9 of 9