alt Hacker News> we found the maximum altitude estimates were about 15% too high.
this often happens when the wrong rocket finish is selected. Everyone chooses a polished finish when in actuality they've just sprayed the thing with paint.
Skin drag is real.
Replies
sandworm101 • today at 11:58 AM
They also seem to be treating rockets as rigid bodies. Flex of parts is real at these accelerations but the calculations get into supercomputer territory very quickly. All the math is questionable if, at any given moment, your rocket isnt actually straight.
Look into the physics of archery, which has similar accellerations albeit of a narrower tube. The choice between a heavier/stronger arrow v a lighter/flexible shaft is the entire game.
Possibly. I don't remember the details. Also, it isn't a full aerodynamic simulation. Plus the hobby motors are not manufactured to NASA standards. So you can't expect it to be too accurate.