Atmospheric and Ascent Flight

Abstract

Now that we know the technical and physical properties of a rocket and the general equation of motion, which governs its flight, we are ready for a mission to the planets in our solar system. Before we investigate the rocket’s motion in interplanetary space, it first has to ascent in Earth’s gravitational field through the atmosphere. As will be shown later, ascent and reentry are subject to identical physical laws treated by the science called flight mechanics. The difference between the two is that reentry is powerless and the initial conditions of both mission phases are drastically different.