The impact of changes in the mass of an extended charge and a braking cable on the motion of a rocket engine

The ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war has significantly increased the use of mines and improvised explosive devices. In Ukraine, there are hundreds of square kilometers of minefields and numerous group and individual locations containing mines, ammunition, and other explosive materials. To prevent personnel and equipment losses, demining of these areas is essential. This can be done through both mechanized and manual demining. Roller, hammer, and knife mine plows provide up to a 95% probability of neutralizing explosive devices. However, their tactical and technical characteristics are not favorable for use in close proximity to the enemy. In such cases, extended charges are used to create a passage through the minefield, with a probability of mine neutralization reaching 90%. However, the dynamics of the rocket engine, the extended charge, and the braking cable have not been sufficiently studied. This paper proposes a mathematical model for the movement of this mechanical system, taking into account changes in the mass of rocket fuel, the cable charge, and the braking cable. The resulting system of second-order nonlinear differential equations allows for the assessment of the impact of the rocket engine mass, launch angle, fuel consumption laws, and other factors on the flight range of the rocket engine. The study considered the movement of the mechanical system without considering air resistance. The parameters of the rocket engine's motion (flight range, trajectory height, final speed, and flight duration) were determined for cases where the rocket force is constant and the guide angle is 60°. Future research will focus on determining the effects of the guide angle and the law of changing rocket force on the flight range of the rocket engine.