How does a spacecraft propel itself, when theres nothing in space to push against?
Rocket From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search For other uses, see Rocket (disambiguation). A Redstone rocket, part of the Mercury programThe traditional definition of a rocket is a vehicle, missile or aircraft which obtains thrust by the reaction to the ejection of fast moving exhaust gas from within a rocket engine. Often the term is also used to refer to a rocket engine. Contents [hide] 1 Overview 2 History 2.1 Origins of rocketry 2.2 Modern rocketry 3 Net thrust 4 Regulation 5 Accidents 6 Future 7 See also 8 External links [edit] Overview The origin of rockets dates back over 2,000 years ago when people of the Han Dynasty in china (c.206 BC–220 AD) began experimenting with gunpowder and fireworks. The explosive force of such pyrotechnics were eventually adapted for use in propelling projectiles such as cannon and musket balls. While such projectiles do not contain their own fuel, the same principles that propel our modern conception of rockets were behind
A spacecraft propels itself not by “pushing against something” but by creating a force called thrust in the direction that it needs to travel in. This done by expelling the right amount of gasses (ie: the resulting hot gasses from the combustion of the spacecraft’s fuel) in the opposite direction. Newton’s 3rd law of gravity states that for every action there is an equal but opposite reaction. It’s the same effect as when you let go of a balloon and the air comes out of it, the action of the air being expelled from the balloon creates a reaction in the balloon travelling in the opposite direction. This effect does not need anything to “push against”.
This should keep you going for 10 mins or so: One of the most amazing endeavors man has ever undertaken is the exploration of space. A big part of the amazement is the complexity. Space exploration is complicated because there are so many problems to solve and obstacles to overcome. You have things like: The vacuum of space Heat management problems The difficulty of re-entry Orbital mechanics Micrometeorites and space debris Cosmic and solar radiation The logistics of having restroom facilities in a weightless environment But the biggest problem of all is harnessing enough energy simply to get a spaceship off the ground. That is where rocket engines come in. Rocket engines are, on the one hand, so simple that you can build and fly your own model rockets very inexpensively (see the links on the last page of the article for details). On the other hand, rocket engines (and their fuel systems) are so complicated that only three countries have actually ever put people in orbit. In this arti
oh my god!The first answer changed the science upside down!!!lol!it is not the einstein theory it was the newtons thrid law that stated “action has a equal and opposite reaction.”And coming to your question yes there is nothing in the space to push against,but do you ever thought of satellites revolving round the earth with out any force?Why becoz to escape from the earth`s gravity the object should have an escape velocity to escape from the influence of earth`s gravity.Since the spacecraft will raise above from the ground with a thrust force against the ground and gradually raise to overcome the gravity of earth it will attain the escape velocity and when it comes fully out from the earth boundary since there is no space it could not propel itself but we know it still as the velocity and acceleration with which it overcame the gravity of earth(escape velocity).got it?So due to there is no external force existing in the space and according to the newton`s first law”a body will continou
