Rocketry :: science

Rocketry A rocket is a device that does not need atmospheric oxygen to burn its fuel, since it carries it’s own, either separately or in chemical combination with fuel. Rockets are propelled forward by gas or liquid being expelled backwards. Rockets work on a fundamental law of motion by Sir Isaac Newton that states, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. This helps explain how rockets fly on earth and in space. For example, the rocket fuel is exploded in a controlled way so that the exhaust gas or liquid is sent streaming down out the rocket nozzle and causing the rocket to accelerate up. Rockets are usually shaped like an arrow, with long and slender bodies and fins at the bottom. This shape provides stability for flying straight, and with low air resistance for flying fast. The evolution of the rocket has made it an irreplaceable tool in the exploration of space. For centuries, the ancient Chinese has used rockets for ceremonial and warfare purposes. The Chinese were the first known people to use and make rockets. Wernher Von Braun made a big advancement in rocketry during WWII when he built a rocket that was powered by ethyl alcohol and liquid oxygen. The rocket was called either A-4 or V2, and had a range of about 220 miles (350km), and a maximum height of about 162 miles (100km). This rocket was the main reason that the United States and Russia started the space exploration war. A solid propellant rockets posses more advanced fuels, designs, and functions than the early rockets, as does the Liquid fueled. Yet solid propellant rockets remain in wide spread use today, as seen in rockets including the Space Shuttle dual booster engines and the Delta series booster stages. A solid propellant is a monopropellant fuel, which is a single mixture of several chemicals. This fuel is in its solid state and has a pre-formed or molded shape. The interior shape of the core is an important factor in determining a rocket's performance. Solid fueled rockets are relatively simple rockets. This is their chief advantage, but it also has its drawbacks. Once a solid rocket is ignited it will use up all of its fuel and cannot be shut off. Another disadvantage is the danger involved in the premixed fuels of monopropellant rockets. The Saturn V moon rocket used nearly 8 million pounds of thrust requiring a high specific impulse liquid propellant.