Design and Analysis of a Low-Cost Anti-Missile Missile in Combination with a High-Powered Rocket

Abstract

This report presents the design, construction, and testing of a high-powered model rocket, as well as the conceptual development of a low-cost anti-missile missile in response to the Request for Proposal (RFP) from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Open Division Missile Systems Design Competition. The project was structured around two primary objectives: to build a reusable model rocket capable of reaching an altitude of 10,000 feet or less and to design a conceptual missile system that meets competition specifications. A team of students collaborated under five specialized sub-teams focused on mechanical design and recovery systems, mission operations and payload, aerodynamics, propulsion and thermal analysis, and flight dynamics and control. The model rocket incorporated commercially available motor and structural components, as well as custom-fabricated structural components, and an integrated recovery system. Simulations and analyses were conducted using industry-standard tools including MATLAB, ANSYS (Static Structural, Fluent, Dynamic), and Cantera. The anti-missile missile design emphasized cost-effective manufacturing, modular subsystems, aerodynamic efficiency, and simulated targeting and guidance capabilities. Overall, this project provided students with valuable hands-on experience in aerospace system design, emphasizing the tradeoffs and performance interdependencies critical to complex vehicle development. The results demonstrate the viability of the model rocket flight system and present a thorough conceptual design for the anti-missile missile