What is OpenRocket Simulator?

Updated

OpenRocket is a free, fully featured model rocket simulator for designing and simulating rockets before you build and fly them. It is open source and runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, and as a JAR file. It is aimed at model rocketry hobbyists who want to test a design virtually before committing to building and launching it.

The current download listed on the site is v24.12.

What you can do with OpenRocket

The site describes a set of core capabilities:

  • 2D and 3D design views — model your rocket in CAD-style views.
  • Component and material databases — create custom components or select commercial parts and materials from a catalog, and save your own for reuse.
  • Motor selection — choose a solid rocket motor from an extensive database.
  • Flight simulation — Six-Degrees-of-Freedom flight simulation with over 50 variables.
  • Real-time performance feedback — center of pressure, center of gravity, maximum altitude, max velocity, and stability update as you work in design mode.
  • Plotting and export — analyze simulation results with advanced plotting and exporting, and export designs to various formats.
  • PDF drawings — export design drawings to PDF for building.
  • Wind modeling — accurately model wind at different altitudes.
  • Staging and clustering — multi-stage, dual deployment, and other event triggers; cluster motors with preset configurations you can tune.
  • Optimization — a rocket optimizer tool that automatically adjusts parameters given an optimization goal.
  • 3D renders — create 3D renders of your designs.
  • Custom extensions — script custom extensions to simulations.

Who it is for

OpenRocket is intended for model rocketry hobbyists who want to test designs virtually. If you want to replicate an existing model or develop a new design — from material density to exterior finish quality — and see the aerodynamic and stability effects before building, this is the tool the site describes.

How to get started

  1. Download v24.12 from the site (Windows, macOS, Linux, or JAR).
  2. Read the Documentation, including the User Guide and Tutorials.
  3. Design in 2D/3D, selecting or creating components and materials.
  4. Choose a motor from the database.
  5. Run the simulation and review plots and exported results.
  6. Optionally use the optimizer, staging/clustering, wind modeling, or custom scripting.

Community and support

  • Documentation — User Guide, Developer Guide, Wiki (old), Technical Docs, and Release Notes.
  • Discord — join the community.
  • Rocketry Forum — contact and discussion.
  • Get Involved / Donate — the project is open source and accepts contributions.

What the site does not state

The page evidence does not list pricing beyond describing OpenRocket as free, and it does not specify login requirements. Treat those details as unconfirmed unless stated on the site.