Do I need to install anything?

No. It runs in any modern browser, free, with no account required.

For Hobbyists & Makers · Rocket Staging

Rocket Staging for a model rocket

Built for hobbyists & makers exploring it for fun. Play with real physics and math, no license and no setup — just open and tinker. Simulate a model rocket live below — adjust the inputs and watch it respond, right in your browser.

Rocket StagingLive

beating the tyranny of the equation

Controls

Presets

Number of stages

Mass ratio per stage

Specific impulse Isp (s)

The rocket equation grows delta-v only with the logarithm of the mass ratio, so a single stage hauling empty tanks all the way up is hopelessly inefficient. Staging drops dead weight along the way: each stage contributes ve·ln(mass ratio), and their sum easily clears the ~9.4 km/s needed for low Earth orbit.

▶ Run in Python

Data Inspector

Δv per stage4.76 km/s

Total Δv9.52 km/s

Reaches LEO?yes

Governing equation

Δ v = i = 1 \sum 2 v_{e, i} ln \frac{m _{0, i}}{m _{f, i}} = 2 \cdot 4.76 = 9.52 km/s

Reading this result: 2 stages at Isp 350s and mass ratio 4 each sum to 9.5 km/s — past the ~9.4 km/s LEO budget, since every stage adds ve·ln(ratio) after dropping dead weight.

Runs locally in your browser — free forever. Scale to the cloud when reality gets heavy.

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Frequently asked questions

Is this good for hobbyists & makers?: Yes — this version of "Rocket Staging for a model rocket" is framed for hobbyists & makers exploring it for fun. Play with real physics and math, no license and no setup — just open and tinker.
Do I need to install anything?: No. It runs in any modern browser, free, with no account required.