How Rockets Work

Rockets are the only machines that can carry things into space. They work by burning fuel and pushing hot gas out of the bottom. This push sends the rocket zooming upward. It is the same idea as letting go of a balloon and watching it fly around the room.

Newton's Third Law

Rockets work because of a rule in science called Newton's Third Law. It says that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. When a rocket pushes hot gas down, the gas pushes the rocket up. The faster the gas shoots out, the faster the rocket goes. This works even in space where there is no air.

Parts of a Rocket

A rocket has fuel tanks, engines, and a payload area on top. The payload is whatever the rocket is carrying, like a satellite or astronauts. Many rockets have stages that fall away as the fuel is used up. This makes the rocket lighter so it can go faster. Modern rockets can even land and be used again.

Fun Facts

• Rockets must travel about 17,500 miles per hour to reach orbit around Earth.
• The Saturn V rocket that carried astronauts to the Moon was as tall as a 36-story building.
• The first rockets were invented in China about 800 years ago.

Did You Know?

A rocket uses most of its fuel just to get off the ground. By the time it reaches space, it has burned through millions of pounds of fuel.