ENH: Add static margin validation to prevent unstable rocket simulations in Flight class

Author: Gui-FernandesBR

.vscode/settings.json

@@ -137,6 +137,7 @@
         "Glauert",
         "gmaps",
         "Gnss",
+        "Golay",
         "Gomes",
         "Gonçalvez",
         "grav",
@@ -205,6 +206,7 @@
         "Meteomatics",
         "Metrum",
         "modindex",
+        "motorless",
         "mult",
         "Mumma",
         "NASADEM",
@@ -268,6 +270,7 @@
         "rwork",
         "savetxt",
         "savgol",
+        "Savitzky",
         "SBMT",
         "scilimits",
         "searchsorted",

rocketpy/simulation/flight.py

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 import simplekml
 from scipy.integrate import BDF, DOP853, LSODA, RK23, RK45, OdeSolver, Radau
 
+from ..exceptions import UnstableRocketError
 from ..mathutils.function import Function, funcify_method
 from ..mathutils.vector_matrix import Matrix, Vector
 from ..plots.flight_plots import _FlightPlots
@@ -639,6 +640,7 @@ def __init__(  # pylint: disable=too-many-arguments,too-many-statements
         self.__init_solution_monitors()
         self.__init_equations_of_motion()
         self.__init_solver_monitors()
+        self.__validate_rocket_static_margin()
 
         # Create known flight phases
         self.flight_phases = self.FlightPhases()
@@ -664,6 +666,15 @@ def __repr__(self):
             f"name= {self.name})>"
         )
 
+    def __validate_rocket_static_margin(self):
+        """
+        Avoids running a flight simulation if the rocket stability margin is
+        negative. This is a common mistake that can lead to unstable flights,
+        which usually runs indefinitely.
+        """
+        if (s := self.rocket.static_margin(0)) < 0:
+            raise UnstableRocketError(s)
+
     # pylint: disable=too-many-nested-blocks, too-many-branches, too-many-locals,too-many-statements
     def __simulate(self, verbose):
         """Simulate the flight trajectory."""