Getting Aloft


Space Shuttle.
Courtesy of NASA Kennedy Space Center

Thrust provides the force to lift a rocket into space. Once in orbit, a spacecraft no longer needs propulsion. Short bursts from smaller rockets are used to maneuver the spacecraft.

How Fast Must a Spacecraft Travel to Reach Orbit?
Why Are Rockets Built in Stages?
Why Don't We Launch Spacecraft from Guns?
How Does a Rocket Engine Work?


(Rev. 09/22/96)