|
PropulsionHow do conventional rockets work? |
The main difference between jet propulsion and rocket propulsion is that in rocket propulsion the oxidizer is carried with the vehicle, but jet propulsion the oxidizer is the oxygen in the air sucked into the engine of the plane. Because there is no oxidizer in space, rockets need to carry their own oxidizers with them.
The obvious question here is, why do fuels need an oxidizer to burn? Can't they just burn by themselves? The answer is no. Most fuels cannot burn by themselves because burning is really a rapid chemical reaction. The burning that is seen and felt is the heat and the gases released from a rapid chemical reaction. The oxidizer makes that possible.
What are the types of rocket propulsion?
