Documentation Issues: Atmospheric Model, Colab Links, CSV Thrust Curves, Parachute Triggers, Flight Variables, and Dependency Notes

[uniKorqi422]

Title: Documentation Issues: Atmospheric Model, Colab Links, CSV Thrust Curves, Parachute Triggers, Flight Variables, and Dependency Notes

Environment:

• Python 3.14.0, RocketPy 1.10.0, macOS
• Jupyter Notebook in venv (~/RocketPy/rocketpy/venv)

Issue:

1. Invalid Atmospheric Model: Tutorial uses env.set_atmospheric_model(type="Standard"), causing ValueError: Unknown model type 'standard'. Correct type is standard_atmosphere (lowercase).
2. Colab Notebook Link Error: Docs link to .html (e.g., https://colab.research.google.com/github/RocketPy-Team/rocketpy/blob/master/docs/notebooks/environment/environment_class_usage.html) fails with "Could not find environment_class_usage.html". Correct is .ipynb.
3. 404 Error: Tutorial implies keron_thrust_curve.csv at ../data/motors/projeto-jupiter/, but main branch URLs yield "404: Not Found". Correct branch is master.
4. Impulse Mismatch: Tutorial expects ~1403 Ns. keron_thrust_curve.csv yields 1403.183 Ns (max 1068.36 N at 1.508 s, spiky). mandioca_thrust_curve.csv yields 7568.587 Ns (max 2606 N at 3.258 s, smoother).
5. Duplicate Files: Initially, keron and mandioca CSVs were identical (4689 bytes). Fixed by redownloading keron (2849 bytes, e.g., 0,3.8).
6. Parachute Warnings: keron simulation had warnings: "Trying to add flight phase starting together/after the one proceeding it" due to main (800 m) and drogue (apogee) triggering at 8.419 s. Fixed with main trigger at 600 m.
7. Invalid Flight Variable: Flight.export_data with vertical_velocity causes AttributeError: Variable 'vertical_velocity' not found in Flight class. Correct variable is vz.
8. Missing Dependency: pandas not included in RocketPy’s default dependencies, causing ModuleNotFoundError. Fixed by installing jupyter and pandas in venv.
9. Export Column Error: Flight.export_data CSV uses # Time (s) (not time) and adds spaces in column names (e.g., Vz (m/s)), causing KeyError. Using CSV column names (e.g., Altitude AGL (m)) in export_data causes AttributeError; needs altitude, speed, vz. Flight.export_data deprecated; use FlightDataExporter.
10. FlightDataExporter Error: FlightDataExporter.export_data() raised TypeError with variables=["altitude", "speed", "vz"]; fixed with altitude, speed, vz as positional arguments. CSV uses # Time (s) (not Time), causing KeyError.

Steps to Reproduce:

1. Ran simulation with type="Standard": ValueError. Fixed with type="standard_atmosphere".
2. Tried Colab link: "Could not find environment_class_usage.html".
3. Ran curl with main: "404: Not Found".
4. API check (curl https://api.github.com/repos/RocketPy-Team/RocketPy/contents/data/motors/projeto-jupiter?ref=master): Confirmed files in master.
5. Downloaded CSVs: Initially identical. Redownloaded keron: Distinct data.
6. Ran SolidMotor: keron 1403.183 Ns (spiky); mandioca 7568.587 Ns (smooth).
7. Ran keron simulation: Parachute warnings. Fixed with main trigger at 600 m.
8. Ran mandioca simulation: 4310.649 m AGL apogee, 368.021 m/s max speed, stable 2.194-3.844 c, no warnings.
9. Ran export_data with vertical_velocity: AttributeError. Fixed with vz.
10. Ran CSV read with pandas: ModuleNotFoundError. Fixed with pip install jupyter pandas in venv.
11. Ran export_data and filtered CSV with df['time']: KeyError. Fixed with df['# Time (s)'].
12. Ran export_data with Altitude AGL (m): AttributeError. Fixed with altitude.
13. Plotted CSV with df['Vz (m/s)']: KeyError. Fixed with df[' Vz (m/s)'].
14. Ran FlightDataExporter with variables=["altitude", "speed", "vz"]: TypeError. Fixed with altitude, speed, vz.
15. Ran FlightDataExporter and filtered with df['Time']: KeyError. Fixed with df['# Time (s)'].

Expected:

• Docs use standard_atmosphere.
• Colab links to .ipynb.
• master URLs.
• CSVs distinct; impulse matches.
• Parachutes trigger sequentially.
• Flight.export_data uses vz.
• pandas and jupyter in venv.
• CSV has # Time (s), Vz (m/s); FlightDataExporter works with positional arguments.

Actual:

• Standard invalid; needs standard_atmosphere.
• .html links fail.
• main 404s.
• CSVs initially identical.
• mandioca impulse 7568.587 Ns.
• Parachute warnings at 800 m.
• vertical_velocity invalid; needs vz.
• pandas missing until installed in venv.
• CSV uses # Time (s), Vz (m/s); Altitude AGL (m) invalid in export_data.
• FlightDataExporter fails with variables list; uses # Time (s).

Suggested Fix:

• Change "Standard" to standard_atmosphere.
• Update Colab links to .ipynb.
• Use master URLs.
• Ensure keron and mandioca CSVs differ.
• Update impulse for mandioca.
• Set main parachute trigger to 600 m.
• Update Flight.export_data docs to list vz.
• Note pandas and jupyter as dependencies in venv.
• Clarify CSV column names (# Time (s), Vz (m/s) vs. Time, Vz).
• Update tutorial to use FlightDataExporter with altitude, speed, vz and filter with # Time (s).
• Recommend FlightDataExporter over Flight.export_data.

Additional Notes:

• Workaround: Local Jupyter with standard_atmosphere; redownload CSVs with master; use vz; install jupyter and pandas in venv; use FlightDataExporter with altitude, speed, vz; filter with df['# Time (s)']; plot with df[' Vz (m/s)'].
• keron (1403 Ns, spiky) suits heavy payloads in lower LEO; mandioca (7568 Ns, smooth, 4310.649 m AGL apogee, -5.457 m/s impact) suits high-altitude, light payloads.
• Debugging at odd hours feels like a lunar mission! Happy to test or share plots.

[uniKorqi422]

Follow-up Question: Thanks for this amazing tool! I noticed FlightDataExporter.export_data() outputs column names with leading/trailing spaces (e.g., # Time (s), Vz (m/s)), causing KeyError when filtering with df['Time'] or df['Vz']. This seems due to the spacing in the CSV headers throwing off pandas indexing. Would it be possible to align the output with expected names (e.g., Time, Vz) or document this behavior? Using df['# Time (s)'] and df[' Vz (m/s)'] works as a workaround. Happy to test any fixes!