Calculation programs as a didactic generator of the discipline “Fundamentals of rocket and space techniques”

Abstract

A new method of teaching the subject “Fundamentals of rocket and space techniques” was suggested in the paper. This method is using the specialized calculation programs as a didactic tool for forming the educational material not only for practical training, but for the theoretical course too. A brief review of the educational literature on rocket and space techniques, published over the past decades was made. Organizational and methodological problems, associated with the teaching discipline are indicated: to define the educational material volume and content, the need to establish interdisciplinary connections, the search of tasks, which have numerical initial data and solution. The overview of pedagogical technologies and the requirements for modern didactic tools is made. On the basis of this analysis the principles of developing a new didactic tool are formulated. The educational technology with the educational process formation on the ahead basis is used. The knowledge is represented in a collapsed form. The combination of procedures for modeling and analysis of the knowledge is realized. The visualization of knowledge is achieved by considering of numerical illustration. The inductive synthesis and deductive analysis are used as psychological and pedagogical methods, as well as the formation of problematic situations. Three specialized calculation programs are used in the implementation of this didactic tool. The programs are: TERRA (B.Trusov) – the calculation of chemical and phase equilibrium of multicomponent systems; RK1 (N.Generalov) – the calculation of flight characteristics and geometrical parameters of the single-stage ballistic missile with liquid rocket engine; TRIJ1 (N.Generalov) – the calculation of trajectory for leading out the payload of the single-stage ballistic missile. The study of the subject begins with the programs interfaces studying and tests performing. After that, the content of programs TERRA, RK1 and TRIJ1 expands into semantic network in the lectures and seminars. The original data and the results of these programs are the connection component of the semantic network. Fragments of this semantic network is given in the paper. Possible constructive circuits of the compartments, the characteristics of materials and technological methods of manufacture are discussed depending on the layout scheme of the rocket. Values of flight characteristics of missiles associate with the equations of motion of the aircraft, formulated relative to the design-ballistic parameters. It is possible to go from the calculated thermodynamic parameters of the propulsion system to the presentation of information on the basics of the theory of rocket engines, composition and unit’s air-hydraulic systems. The problem of creating a pressurization of the fuel tanks of missile is discussed in detail. Formal cognitive card about the types of pressurization of the fuel tanks was developed. There are tasks formulated with the use of data from programs TERRA, RK1 and TRIJ1 that are easily solved and give illustrative numerical results, not only visualizing, but also modeling of the knowledge. Course homework “determination of the internal forces in the body of the rocket” was developed. This is a classical task from educational literature on the rocketry. It is possible to vary the level of difficulty of that task with the results of programs RK1 and TRIJ1. A comparison of the proposed new method of teaching and traditional approach was made. The developed method of teaching the subject “Fundamentals of rocket and space techniques” is used in the educational process at “Special Engineering” Faculty of Bauman Moscow State Technical University.