If a motor ejects at apogee in a rocket, which consequence is described in typical discussions of motor retention?

If a motor ejects at apogee in a rocket, which consequence is described in typical discussions of motor retention?

• A. Recovery will be flawless
• B. The motor may eject and fall independently, creating two falling objects
• C. No parachute deploy
• D. The rocket will be unaffected

Answer: (B)

When the ejection charge goes off at apogee, it creates a sudden, high-pressure burst inside the airframe. If the motor isn’t securely retained, that blast can push the motor itself out of the rocket. The airframe then descends under its own recovery system while the motor may continue on a separate path, effectively becoming two falling objects. This is why motor retention is important: it keeps the motor in place until the airframe’s recovery system is deployed, reducing the chance of losing the motor and ending up with two separate descents. The other possibilities—recovery being flawless, no parachute deployment, or the rocket being unaffected—don’t reflect the practical outcome of a loose motor during apogee ejection.

When the ejection charge goes off at apogee, it creates a sudden, high-pressure burst inside the airframe. If the motor isn’t securely retained, that blast can push the motor itself out of the rocket. The airframe then descends under its own recovery system while the motor may continue on a separate path, effectively becoming two falling objects. This is why motor retention is important: it keeps the motor in place until the airframe’s recovery system is deployed, reducing the chance of losing the motor and ending up with two separate descents. The other possibilities—recovery being flawless, no parachute deployment, or the rocket being unaffected—don’t reflect the practical outcome of a loose motor during apogee ejection.