Design, Build & Test Rocket Engines with This Revolutionary Simulator
Meco Rocket Simulator is a gamified engineering tool that allows you to simulate rocket engines hands-on. Design engine cooling, injectors, nozzles, and more. Accuracy tested against data from real-life rocket engines.
Expensive proprietary software is not great, so we adopted an open-source pledge to sustain development and collaborate with the community. Read on!
Kickstarter Funded!
Blazingly Fast Complete Engine Simulation
Simulated Vulcain rocket engine node graph featuring valves and regenerative cooling. Runs in real-time on current-generation PCs.
The Rocket Engine Simulator for Interactive Design
Say goodbye to pages of endless numbers and equations because you’ll see the outcome of your design choices in seconds.
Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly is the way.
It’s a fun way to learn – perfect for next-gen engineers and scientists to have fun while learning to be trailblazers in our multi-planetary future.
On The Shoulders of Giants
Play campaigns with missions based on real-life events. For example, build and simulate rocket engines that show:
- How the USA developed the Redstone-Mercury rocket engine, which in essence, sent the first American to Space.
- Progression of SpaceX’s improvements to Merlin Engines, in particular, from Falcon 1 to Falcon 9 full-thrust.
- Development of engines for the Saturn V moon rocket that were exceptionally reliable despite the technology available at the time.
- How the engines for the Europa I/II Rocket were developed, which then enabled Europe’s first orbit-capable Launch Vehicle.
Detailed Fluid and Combustion Simulation
Meco’s detailed simulation allows you to model complex liquid rocket engine phenomena like:
- The flow of gas and liquids in lines and ducts as a result of pressure and friction.
- Ignition, throttle and shutdown sequences following value valve timings.
- Thrust chamber and nozzle temperatures following regenerative, film and ablative cooling.
- The pros and cons as a result of gas generator, expander, and other engine cycles.
- Rocket Nozzle gas exit velocity and flow separation change when the shape of the nozzle is changed.
- Lastly, get the expected engine thrust, efficiency, and ISP readings to evaluate your design.
Comprehensive Engine Building Options
Meco has features you need to build a rocket engine model for first approximation simulation.
- Find out engine limits when different materials are used to create its parts.
- Test fuel, oxidizer and coolant combinations and consequently, their trade-offs.
- Try different igniter and valve types with their advantages and disadvantages.
- Design injectors, pumps, turbines, gearboxes, thrust chambers and nozzles while being challenged by physical constraints.
Rocket Nozzle Simulated
True-to-Life Rocket Engine Simulation Software
Meco has been validated against real-life engine operational data and matches them to within a few percent, hence you can be assured Meco gives you realistic performance numbers.
- Change your design in order to get desired pressure, temperature and flow rate readings.
- Tweak combustion properties which change correspondingly with oxidizer-fuel ratio and pressure.
- Find out safety margins when there are thermal and load stresses on parts.
- Test performance at different atmospheric Pressures.
- Replay and zoom in to a particular spot in time when you need more data.
Examples To Build on Included in This Sim
Get into simulation quick – pre-built and ready-to-sim engines include:
- Rocketdyne F-1 which powered the Saturn V
- SpaceX Merlin 1D employed on the Falcon 9
- Vulcain by Snecma Moteurs found on the Arianespace Ariane 5
- RL-10A used by ULA Centaur originally made by Pratt & Whitney
Why an Accessible Rocket Engine Simulator?
To be a spacefaring civilization, we need people that can build and maintain rocket engines on every colony and we’re gonna need a lot of them.
Learn to Design Rocket Engines Step-By-Step
For child prodigies, senior enthusiasts and everyone in between
Start with cold-gas thrusters, or dive right into Liquid Propellant Rocket Engines (LPRE). If your quest to learn some rocket science, Meco is at your side.
The whole is greater than the sum of its parts
While Meco can handle dozens of sub-systems required to simulate a rocket engine, we can tinker with each sub-system individually and put them all together when we are ready.
Embrace Your Inner Rocket Scientist
Master and build intuition
See how engineering and scientific laws come together and build a complete understanding of the part they play.
Do or do not. There is no try
Overcome the challenges and feel accomplished. There are reasons why rocket science has a reputation for not being easy, but you are in good company.
Don't Miss Out
Learn Rocket Science
Here are some books I love to start you on your rocket journey. Perhaps you will build a rocket with your own hands someday.
Fundamentals
Ignition!: An Informal History of Liquid Rocket Propellants
Rocket Propulsion Elements
Modern Engineering for Design of Liquid Propellant Rocket Engines
Fundamental Concepts of Liquid-Propellant Rocket Engines (Springer Aerospace Technology)
Inspiration
Liftoff: Elon Musk and the Desperate Early Days That Launched SpaceX
Rocketdyne: Powering Humans into Space (AIAA Education)
NASA Space Shuttle Main Engine Design Features
Design, Construction, Testing, and Flight of a Liquid Propellant Rocket
Amateur Rocketry
Modern High-Power Rocketry 2
Estes Tandem-X Launch Set (Amazon and Crossfire ISX) Orange, 30 inches
Rocket Engine Simulation
Gas Turbines: Internal Flow Systems Modeling (Cambridge Aerospace Series, Series Number 44)
Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program, Version 5.0 Educational: Supplemental Information for NASA//TM-2011-21647
