a basic understanding of efficiency. Once this is established, new definitions will come into play, all of these shall be crucial in the understanding of the paper. Terms Needed To Understand Efficiency G- a unit of acceleration [equal to 9.8 meters/second/second (accelerating at a pace of 9.8 meters per second every second)] Specific Impulse (Isp)- A measurement in seconds of efficiency. Properties of Efficiency Efficiency is the most accurate indicator of rockets performance. As stated in the aforementioned definitions, specific impulse is the basic unit of measurement of rocket efficiency. Isp is found by dividing the exhaust velocity by g (definition also mentioned above). Since velocity is measured in m/s (meters per second) and each g is equal to 9.8 m/s/s (meters per second every second), the terms cancel to leave just a unit in seconds. The resulting figure, is the duration of time for which one kilogram of propellant can produce one kilogram of thrust. Thus, a higher number represents a better, and more efficient rocket. To give the reader an idea of the average Isp of several type of rockets, I have listed some average figures for efficiency of certain types of rockets below. Average Efficiencies of Certain Rockets Next, I have listed the Isp values for some basic types of rockets. After that I shall explain some of the most well known types of rockets. Basic Rocket Types An RPS (rocket propulsion system) is a powerplant that pushes a vehicle forward by ejecting matter that is stored within the vehicle. This matter is called propellant. The propellant is the most crucial part of moving a vehicle through space. Their energy source, the vehicles they are used on, and the type of propellant classify the specific types of systems. Liquid Propellant Rockets All LPRs (Liquid Propelled Rockets) contain the same basic devices. The next paragraph shall discus...
