Rocket Propulsion: Basic Concepts and Introduction

Abstract Rocket propulsion is of vital importance for space travel and for launching satellites into orbits around the earth. It is also instrumental in military applications. Rocket propulsion is a class of jet propulsion that produces thrust by ejecting burned propellant. The thrust is generated on the basis of Newton's third law of motion. Rocket propulsion systems can be broadly classified according to the type of energy source (chemical, solar, electric, or nuclear). The most commonly used rockets are solid propellant rocket motors and liquid propellant rocket engines. This chapter provides an introduction to rocket propulsion by covering the overall classification, basic concepts, and rocket equations. Different types or rocket nozzle designs, the concept of multistaging, and other issues are also presented.