Whether adults or kids, rockets capture the fancy of one and all. One of the most interesting and impressive inventions, rockets are responsible for launching satellites and vehicles into space, aid in space exploration, can be used as missiles, and serve several other purposes. Let us explore the top 10 interesting facts about rockets to intrigue you about these innovative creations.
Do you know that in the 20th century, people used rockets to deliver mail? Or that rockets can be made with the help of special 3D printers? Do you know that the word ‘rocket’ originated from an Italian word, “Rocchetta”, meaning “little spindle”?
This captivating discovery holds many lesser-known facts that are spellbinding. Let us delve into 10 interesting facts about rockets:
The third law of Newton states that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Rockets work on this principle.
The action begins when the engine of the rocket expels the fuel. When this fuel burns, it forms exhaust, which then pushes the rocket upwards in reaction.
Here, the action is the expulsion of fuel, and the reaction is the upward movement of the rocket.
On October 24, 1946, V2 created history by taking a picture of our planet. The rocket launched from New Mexico, USA, carried a film camera.
Although the rocket met with a terrible fate by crashing, the 35 mm film, encapsulated in a steel cassette, survived.
Rockets are not a recent innovation. These powerful creations date back to the 10th century.
Rockets originated in China during the tenure of Song Dynasty. The first rockets were tubes filled with powder charges. These were used for fireworks.
In 1132, rockets were used in the siege of Xi’an, eventually reaching Europe in the 13th century.
The first reusable rocket came into being in the 1980s. The Space Shuttle used solid propellant stages and was designed to return as a glider. On reaching Earth, it could be reused after some minor repairs. These rockets were discontinued in 2011 due to their high costs.
In June 2010, SpaceX launched the Falcon 9 rocket, the first stages of which can be reused. In 2022, Rocket Lab followed the suit.
All the rockets that we have today are multi-stage rockets. There have been only a few rockets (Haas 2CA and Radian One) that can be tagged as single-stage.
Multiple-stage rockets abandon their parts at each stage to get lighter and more efficient as they progress.
Human ears can safely tolerate sounds up to 70 dBA. Rockets are very loud at 180 dB during launch. Such a loud sound creates vibrations, which can damage rockets, let alone our hearing.
To reduce the sound, the Launchpad needs tons of water. The use of water lowers the sound intensity from 180 dB to between 130 and 140 dB.
The water used to reduce the noise level of rockets serves more than one purpose. It also acts as a coolant. The combustion chamber of the rocket’s engine gets very hot, sometimes reaching 4000 degrees Celsius. The rockets are always susceptible to catching fire at such high temperatures. Water acts as a cooler and prevents overheating.
Rockets are the fastest transport. They move at a speed of 7.9 km/s or 17,400 mph (28,100 km/h). This speed breaks through Earth’s atmospheric resistance.
The rockets launched to reach the moon move at a speed of 11.2km/second or 40,000 km per hour.
It takes tons and tons of fuel to launch a rocket. German V2, the first orbital rocket, used 127 kg of fuel in just one second.
For Mercury missions, Atlas D burned 244,056 lbs of fuel, whereas Saturn V used 4,578,000 lbs for the moon missions. Falcon 9 uses 902,793 lbs, Space Shuttle uses 1700 tons, and Falcon Heavy uses 410 tons of fuel.
Modern rockets are energy-efficient unlike older rocket models.
Interestingly, rockets can stay in space even if they run out of fuel.
If you have always fancied traveling in a rocket, you are in for a treat. You can now travel into space in a rocket. On July 20, 2021, Blue Origin accomplished a major achievement as its New Shepard spacecraft carried space tourists on a historic flight.
In the 11-minute flight, travelers experienced space from the observation window and microgravity for three minutes.
You can also travel into space with SpaceX. Another interesting fact related to SpaceX is that it is already planning to send tourists to Mars.
These facts about rockets can spark anyone’s interest in these mighty creations. We hope these facts unveiled many interesting details about rockets.
Now, if someone asks 10 lines about rockets, tell them these interesting facts to ignite their enthusiasm.
If you wish to learn more about Rockets, the CBSE skill education module taught at DWPS Barasat will help you explore the interesting world of rockets.
