Equal-rate rocket burning and accretion 2026-10-14
If stationary mass arrives at the same constant time rate as fuel is ejected, total rocket mass stays fixed. The rocket equation with stationary mass accretion is then . For initial rest, speed approaches the relative exhaust speed exponentially with relaxation time . This is the regular equal-rate limit of the unequal-rate mass-power formula.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2011 ia Paper 4 11B b Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-14
Now and , soFor , set . Then and . For , integration givesConsequentlyThis solution of the rocket equation with stationary mass accretion covers increasing or decreasing rocket mass, as long as . For equal-rate rocket burning and accretion, in the case , the mass is constant and the linear equation instead givesIt is also the continuous equal-rate limit of the preceding expression when written in terms of .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2011 ia Paper 4 11B Solution 2026-10-14
Let be the gas mass ejected in a short interval, and let be the stationary dust mass acquired. The rocket mass change is . Before the interval the momentum of the rocket and this dust is , because the incoming dust is at rest. Afterwards it isto first order; changing the gas ejection speed by affects only second-order terms. Momentum conservation, with no external force, therefore givesDividing by the time interval produces the rocket equation with stationary mass accretion:The incoming material's zero initial momentum is essential: accelerating it to the rocket's speed consumes part of the thrust.