RocketDesignSpreadsheet

I started creating a rocket design spreadsheet.

http://www.geocities.com/s243a/mars/rocketDesignSpreadsheet.xls

In the current spreadsheet you choose the total tank volume of the rocket and the fuels. The spread sheet will calculate the weight and volume of each tank. There are options to select the material of the tank and the geometry of the tank. Initial tests of the spread sheet show it to be in good agreement with the mass of the shuttles external tank. The first goal of the spree sheet is to give improved dry mass estimates. Given that majority of the rockets weight is in the fuel [1], it is not necessary for a perfect mass breakdown of the rocket.

Mass Breakdown of a rocket

A simple estimate of the rocket mass breakdown was given in [1].

Mass [kg]

Total mass 375

Propellant 300

Tankage system 57

Thrusters + plumbing 10.75

Miscellaneous 7.25

As you can see the majority of the rocket weight is in fuel.

Other Relevent Spreadsheets

http://www.paul.enutrofal.com/

Refferences

[1] http://www.lr.tudelft.nl/live/pagina.jsp?id=3784708c-c434-47f7-ae49-6f1f1d0d7114&lang=en - Gives The Mass Breakdown of a rocket.

[2] http://dunnspace.com/alternate_ssto_propellants.htm - Information about the rocket propellents was gathered here.

[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_ratio#Examples Contains a nice table for the mass ratio's of several rockets.