The Mechanics of Rocket Flight

Rocket flight works based on Newton’s third law: for every action, there’s an equal and opposite reaction. When a rocket’s engines burn fuel, they expel hot gases downward at high speed. This creates a force upward called thrust. As long as thrust exceeds gravity and air resistance, the rocket accelerates upward. The rocket’s shape and engines are designed to efficiently direct the gases downward while minimizing drag. As it climbs, it may jettison stages or adjust engines to continue its journey into space. Essentially, rockets push gases out their engines to propel themselves forward through the vacuum of space.