| WHAT IS PROPULSION? | ||
To tie all the forces involved together (weight, thrust, and drag), consider the relationships of these forces before and just after a typical rocket liftoff. As the rocket engine first fires, the only forces present are the thrust (T) of the engine and the weight (W) of the rocket. (It is interesting to note that most of a rocket's launch weight consists of fuel.) The weight is directed toward the center of the earth; the direction of the thrust is opposite the weight. |
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