multistage rocket
Sequential booster vehicle
A multistage rocket is a launch vehicle with two or more rocket sections stacked together, each with its own engines and fuel.
As each stage exhausts its propellant, it separates and falls away, reducing weight so the remaining stages can accelerate more efficiently.
This design makes it possible to reach orbit or escape Earth's gravity: The Saturn V was a three-stage rocket.
Something that increases strength
- interstageBetween successive stages
- burnoutChronic occupational depletion
- cutoffPoint of termination
- jettisonDeliberately discard, especially cargo
Backward enumeration to zero
- liftoffMoment of ascent
- padCushioned writing surface
- ignitionStarting combustion process
- thrustForceful forward motion
ascent · trajectory · velocity · altitude · mission control · launch window · abort · hold
Machine producing motion
- nozzleFlow-directing pipe fitting
- fuelEnergy source material
- oxidizerElectron-accepting reactant
- combustionExothermic reaction with oxygen
thrust · burn · exhaust · cryogenics · liquid oxygen · hydrogen · turbopump · gimbal
Sun deity, moonshot namesake
- Saturn VApollo program launch vehicle
- SoyuzRussian crewed spacecraft
- FalconNamed spacecraft or superhero
- AtlasSky-bearing Titan of myth
Delta · Ariane · Long March · Proton · Starship · Titan · Vega
Curved celestial path
- trajectoryPath of moving object
- orbital mechanicsScience of celestial motion
- escape velocitySpeed to overcome gravity
- delta-vSpacecraft maneuver measurement
apogee · perigee · geostationary · interplanetary · Hohmann transfer · rendezvous · docking · flight path
Carried freight or charge
- capsuleEnclosed dose container
- moduleIndependent functional component
- orbiterBody circling another
- satelliteOrbiting celestial body
lunar module · command module · service module · fairing · cargo · probe · lander · reentry vehicle
booster
Something that increases strength
- interstageBetween successive stages
- burnoutChronic occupational depletion
- cutoffPoint of termination
countdown
Backward enumeration to zero
thrust · ascent · trajectory · velocity · altitude · mission control · launch window · abort · hold · rollout
engine
Machine producing motion
combustion · thrust · burn · exhaust · cryogenics · liquid oxygen · hydrogen · turbopump · gimbal · fuel pump
Apollo
Sun deity, moonshot namesake
- Saturn VApollo program launch vehicle
- SoyuzRussian crewed spacecraft
- FalconNamed spacecraft or superhero
Atlas · Delta · Ariane · Long March · Proton · Starship · Titan · Vega
orbit
Curved celestial path
- trajectoryPath of moving object
- orbital mechanicsScience of celestial motion
- escape velocitySpeed to overcome gravity
delta-v · apogee · perigee · geostationary · interplanetary · Hohmann transfer · rendezvous · docking · flight path · ballistic trajectory
payload
Carried freight or charge
satellite · lunar module · command module · service module · fairing · cargo · probe · lander · reentry vehicle · heat shield
multistage rocketspace elevator
Tethered structure to orbit
skyhook · rotovator · solar sail · scramjet
stage, rocket, rockets, stages, rocketing, rocketed, multilayered, multistage, rocketry