I have decided to create a forum to describe in detail the naming process of my rockets, because “Weka IV.II-B.6 LR[2.1] (Water-500)” looks kind of complicated, but it all means something.

I am making this for two reasons: to teach everyone what my complex rocket names mean, and also because I might forget it.

At the time of making this (12/10/20), none of my rockets use this system exactly, but many of them, especially more recent ones, follow this very closely, it’s just not as detailed. All of my official future rockets will use this system, or updated versions of it. Any unofficial rockets (the ones I throw together in a few minutes) will still be called what ever I want them to be called.
Also, strap yourself in, because it gets very complicated very quick.

Step One:

We start with the rocket series name, for example: Python. This is like the last name equivalent for rockets. Every rocket in this series will start with the word Python.

Step Two:

Next is the specific rocket in the series, written in Roman numerals, for example: Python VII. This is more like the first name for rockets. They are created and named in numerical order, but only one is uploaded, and the rest never make it past the “rough draft” stage.

Step Three:

After that is the version number of the rocket, which is the second set of Roman numerals, written after the period, for example: Python VII.IX. It is the number of times the rocket has been modified/refined after being considered “done”. This is very similar to how developers display what version of a program there is. Note: even though the example shows 9 modifications, it is the 10th version of the rocket, because the 1st version had been modified 0 times after being considered “done”.

Step Four:

Next is the strap-on booster type. After both sets of Roman numerals there will be either a “B” or a “Heavy”, for example: Python VII.IX-B. A “B” means that the rocket uses small solid rocket boosters for the first stage, and a “Heavy” means that the rocket uses larger liquid fuel boosters for the first stage. Heavy rockets will always produce more thrust at liftoff. If a rocket does not have a “B” or a “Heavy” in the name, then it uses only core engines in the first stage.

Step Five:

After that is the number of strap-on boosters, in Arabic numerals, for example: Python VII.IX-B.4. This is pretty self explanatory, it’s the same format for “Heavy” rockets. Once again, if the rocket does not use strap-on boosters, there will simply be nothing, rather than a “0”.

Step Six:

Next is the type of staging modification, if any, abbreviated as either LDO or LR, for example: Python VII.IX-B.4 LDO. They stand for Low Droo Orbit and Long Range, respectively. LDO is when at least one stage of the rocket has been removed, to allow greater payload to LDO, but reduced delta V. LR is when at least one stage has been added to the rocket, reducing payload to LDO, but increasing delta V, thus allowing it to go “Long Range”. If there has been no stage modifications, then the number of stages, in Arabic numerals will replace the stage modification, for example: Python VII.IX-B.4-3 This is the only time it will be separated by a “-“, between the booster count and stage count.

Step Seven:

After that is where it starts to get complicated. After it says the type of stage modification, the number of stages before the modification and the number of stages added/removed will be displayed in Arabic numerals inside of brackets, for example: Python VII.IX-B.4 LDO[3.1] or Python VIII.X-Heavy.2 LR[2.2]. In the first example, the rocket initially has 3 stages, but 1 is removed because its LDO modified. In the second example, the rocket initially has 2 stages, but 2 are added because it’s LR modified.

Step Eight:

Next is the rockets payload inside parentheses. If the rocket is carrying a satellite or other spacecraft, then it is the name and version of the spacecraft, for example: Python VII.IX-B.4 LDO[3.1] (Eagle.II). If the rocket is for some reason carrying another rocket as payload, only the series and number are needed, instead of the whole name, for example: Python VII.IX-B.4 LDO[3.1] (Aries II) instead of (Aries II.I-2 (Lander.IV)). If the rocket is carrying a fuel tank for purposes such as sample payload, then it would say the type of fuel tank and it’s approximate mass, in metric tons, for example: (Water-57). If the rocket is not carrying payload, then it would say (N/A). If the rocket is not payload compatible, then there would simply be no parentheses.

Finally Done!

Using this system, just from the name of the Python VII.IX-B.4 LDO[3.1] (Water-382), we can determine that it is the 10th version of the 7th rocket of the Python series, that uses 4 solid rocket boosters and originally had 3 stages, but 1 was removed so that it can carry more payload to LDO and it is carrying a fuel tank full of water that weighs 382,000kgs as sample payload.
We can also determine from the Aries II.I-2 (Lander.IV) that it is the 2nd version of the 2nd rocket in the Aries series. It does not have any strap-on boosters, and it has 2 stages that were not modified. It is carrying the 5th version of the “Lander” craft.

This is meant to be a full name process, but most of the time rockets can be referred to by their series name and rocket number, as well as booster type, for example: Python VII-B.