Rockets

This article is about vehicles powered by rocket engines. For other uses, see Rocket (disambiguation).

A Soyuz-U, at Baikonur's Site 1/5 inKazakhstan

A rocket is a missile, spacecraft, aircraft or other vehicle that obtains thrust from arocket engine. Rocket engine exhaust is formed entirely from propellants carried within the rocket before use.^[1] Rocket engines work by action and reaction. Rocket engines push rockets forward simply by throwing their exhaust backwards extremely fast.

While comparatively inefficient for low speed use, rockets are relatively lightweight and powerful, capable of generating large accelerations and of attaining extremely high speeds with reasonable efficiency. Rockets are not reliant on the atmosphere and work very well in space.

Rockets for military and recreational uses date back to at least 13th century China.^[2]Significant scientific, interplanetary and industrial use did not occur until the 20th century, when rocketry was the enabling technology of the Space Age, includingsetting foot on the moon. Rockets are now used for fireworks, weaponry, ejection seats, launch vehicles for artificial satellites,human spaceflight, and space exploration.

Chemical rockets are the most common type of rocket^{[citation needed]} and they typically create their exhaust by the combustion of rocket propellant. Chemical rockets store a large amount of energy in an easily released form, and can be very dangerous. However, careful design, testing, construction and use minimizes risks.