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Rocket Propulsion in Empty Space - I

Rocket Propulsion in Empty Space - I

The driving force for the motion of any vehicle is friction, but in the case of rocket propulsion in space, the friction force is not present. The motion of a rocket changes its velocity (and hence its momentum) by ejecting burned fuel gases, thus causing it to accelerate in the direction opposite to the velocity of the ejected fuel. In this situation, the mass and velocity of the rocket constantly change along with the total mass of ejected gases. Due to conservation of momentum, the...

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Rockets range in size from small fireworks that ordinary people use to the enormous Saturn V that once propelled massive payloads toward the Moon. The propulsion of all rockets, jet engines, deflating balloons, and even squids and octopuses are explained by the same physical principle: Newton's third law of motion. The matter is forcefully ejected from a system, producing an equal and opposite reaction on what remains.
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Rocket Propulsion in Gravitational Field - II

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A rocket's velocity in the presence of a gravitational field is decreased by the amount of force exerted by Earth's gravitational field, which opposes the motion of the rocket. If we consider thrust, that is, the force exerted on a rocket by the exhaust gases, then a rocket's thrust is greater in outer space than in the atmosphere or on a launch pad. In fact, gases are easier to expel in a vacuum.
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Rocket Propulsion In Empty Space - II

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The motion of a rocket is governed by the conservation of momentum principle. A rocket's momentum changes by the same amount (with the opposite sign) as the ejected gases. As time goes by, the rocket's mass (which includes the mass of the remaining fuel) continuously decreases, and its velocity increases. Therefore, the principle of conservation of momentum is used to explain the dynamics of a rocket's motion. The ideal rocket equation gives the change in velocity that a rocket...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 20, 2026

High-Speed Optical Diagnostics of a Supersonic Ping-Pong Cannon

High-Speed Optical Diagnostics of a Supersonic Ping-Pong Cannon

Published on: March 24, 2023

Supersonic laser propulsion.

Yurii Rezunkov, Alexander Schmidt

|November 18, 2014

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

A novel supersonic laser propulsion technique uses laser-ablated jets interacting with supersonic gas flow. This method shows potential for efficient thrust generation with a momentum coupling coefficient of approximately 10(-3) N/W.

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Published on: March 24, 2023

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Investigation of Early Plasma Evolution Induced by Ultrashort Laser Pulses

Investigation of Early Plasma Evolution Induced by Ultrashort Laser Pulses

Published on: July 2, 2012

Area of Science:

Aerospace Engineering
Plasma Physics
Fluid Dynamics

Background:

Traditional propulsion systems face limitations in efficiency and scalability.
Laser-based propulsion offers a potential alternative for high-speed applications.
Controlling laser-matter interaction is key to developing effective laser propulsion.

Purpose of the Study:

To propose and investigate a new method for supersonic laser propulsion.
To explore the interaction between laser-ablated jets and supersonic gas flow within a nozzle.
To determine the key parameters influencing the performance of this propulsion system.

Main Methods:

Numerical simulations were employed to model the supersonic laser propulsion process.
Two distinct nozzle configurations were analyzed.
The study focused on parameters such as gas-plasma pressure, temperature, and mass consumption rate.

Main Results:

The interaction of laser-ablated jets with supersonic gas flow was successfully simulated.
Key jet parameters influencing propulsion were identified.
Feasibility of achieving a momentum coupling coefficient (C(m)) of approximately 10(-3) N/W was demonstrated.

Conclusions:

The proposed technique is a viable approach for supersonic laser propulsion.
Optimizing jet parameters is crucial for maximizing propulsion efficiency.
The study confirms the potential of laser-ablated jets for space propulsion applications.