Ablative rocket engines use ablative materials in the combustion chamber or nozzle, which are designed to gradually erode or ablate as the rocket operates.
For ablative rocket engines, the thrust is generated by the expansion of hot gases through the nozzle, and ablative materials in the combustion chamber or nozzle are intentionally designed to erode over time.
To calculate the specific impulse for a specific ablative rocket engine, you would need specific data on thrust, burn time, and the total mass of propellant consumed during the burn. These values can be obtained from engine tests, simulations, or design specifications.
It is defined as the thrust generated per unit of propellant expended and is expressed in seconds.
where,
- is the specific impulse of the rocket engine (in seconds, s)
- F is the Thrust Produced
- ṁ is the mass flow rate of propellant in KG/Sec
- g0 is the acceleration due to gravity