Useful Propulsion Definitions

t ? mission power-on time

Mw ? power plant mass

Ml ? payload mass

Mp ? propellant mass

M0 ? total mass = Mw + Ml + Mp

M ? propellant flow rate = Mp/ t

F ? thrust = M vex

Pw ? thrust power = ½ M vex2

a[kW/kg] ? specific power = Pw / Mw

vch ? characteristic velocity = (2at)½

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