An experimental rocket designed to land upright falls freely from a height of 2.59 102 m, starting at rest. at a height of 86.9 m, the rocket's engines start and provide constant upward acceleration until the rocket lands. what acceleration is required if the speed on touchdown is to be zero? '

The acceleration required by the rocket in order to have a zero speed on touchdown is 19.96m/s²

The rocket's motion for analysis sake is divided into two phases.

Phase 1: the free fall motion of the rocket from the height 2.59*102m to a height 86.9m

Phase 2: the motion of the rocket due to the acceleration of the rocket also from the height 86.9m to the point of touchdown y = 0m.

Explanation:

The initial velocity of the rocket is 0m/s when it started falling from rest under free fall. g = 9.8m/s² t1 is the time taken for phase 1 and t2 is the time taken for phase2.

The final velocity under free fall becomes the initial velocity for the accelerated motion of the rocket in phase 2 and the final velocity or speed in phase 2 is equal to zero.

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