Rockets Help Humans, Space Exploration Reach New Heights


Have you ever wondered how rockets work?

A rocket is a launch vehicle used to carry astronauts and satellites into space. Rockets need to reach the speed of 17,500 miles per hour to overcome Earth’s gravity. They accomplish this by burning chemicals to create enough force to propel the rocket upwards.

All things on Earth are pulled down by gravity, so how can a huge rocket take off? When hot gas exits the rocket’s engines, it pushes against the pull of gravity. This is explained by the early physicist Isaac Newton in his Third Law of Motion: “to every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.”

Saturn V, launched in the 1960’s, was the largest and most powerful rocket in the world. Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon, traveled in this rocket. When he landed, Armstrong placed the flag of the United States of America on the moon—an image that will live in infamy forever.

Without rockets, it is possible that humans would not have made as many breakthroughs in science as they have. And rockets will likely continue to pave the way for new and exciting explanations for the future.

[Sources: NASA; Space: A Visual Encyclopedia ]

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