The specific impulse is a performance parameter commonly associated with rocket engines, providing a measure of the efficiency of the engine in converting propellant mass into thrust. It is defined as the total impulse per unit mass of propellant expended and is typically expressed in seconds.
For pressure-fed rocket engines, the specific impulse is influenced by the engine design, propellant combination, and operational parameters.
For pressure-fed rocket engines, the mass flow rate is often determined by the tank pressure, the flow characteristics of the propellant, and the engine design.
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