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I read this book when I was a
little boy. It made going to space and the moon something real
to me. One day rockets will get you to the moon, as I hope they
will get me.
A rocket in its simplest form is a chamber enclosing a gas under pressure. A small opening at one end of the chamber allows the gas to escape, and in doing so provides a thrust that propels the rocket in the opposite direction.
A good example of this is a balloon. Air inside a balloon is compressed by the balloon's rubber walls. The air pushes back so that the inward and outward pressing forces balance. When the nozzle is released, air escapes through it and the balloon is propelled in the opposite direction.
When we think of rockets, we rarely think of balloons. Instead, our attention is drawn to the giant machines that carry satellites into orbit and spacecraft to the Moon and planets. Nevertheless, there is a strong similarity between the two. The only significant difference is the way the pressurized gas is produced. With space rockets like the Space Shuttle, the gas is produced by burning propellants that can be solid or liquid in form or a combination of the two.
Make A Rocket
Check out some of the fun rockets you can make, using simple things around the house.
All rockets work following some simple principles. Sir Isaac Newton in 1687 was the first to describe these physical principles (or Laws) that govern the motion of all objects, whether on Earth or in space. The Lowdown rocket projects, can give you a good idea about how these laws work.
Newton's three Laws of Motion
1. Objects at rest will stay at rest and objects in motion will stay in motion in a straight line unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.
2. Force is equal to mass times acceleration.
3. For every action there is always an opposite and equal reaction.
Be sure to visit us often as we will be adding a whole lot of rocket projects. In time some of these will be pretty advanced and will require solid rocket engines and even some serious craft work, electronics, cameras and so on.
Matthew King