When we see rockets rising from the ground and rushing into space, we can't help but marvel at the ingenuity and creativity of human beings. Rockets are an important tool for human exploration of space, which can send artificial satellites, spacecraft, manned spacecraft, etc. into orbit, and even fly to the moon, Mars and other celestial bodies. But do you know how rockets fly?What is the power of the rocket?
The answer may surprise you, because the power of a rocket is like that of a rocket engine, and the core principle of a rocket engine is steam power. Yes, you heard it right, rockets go to the sky on steam. So, how do rocket engines utilize steam power?And how did the rocket engine develop?
The working principle of a rocket engine can be explained by Newton's third law, which states that for every force acted, there is a reaction force of equal magnitude and opposite direction. The rocket engine uses this principle to mix the fuel and oxidizer in the combustion chamber to produce high-temperature and high-pressure gas, and then spray the gas at high speed through the nozzle to generate backward force, thereby pushing the rocket forward.
So, what is the gas here?Actually, the gas here is steam, that is, the gaseous state of water. Why steam?Because the fuels and oxidizers used in most rocket engines contain elements of hydrogen and oxygen, the main product after combustion is water, also known as H2O. When water is exposed to high temperature and pressure, it will turn into steam, which is the gaseous state of water. The temperature of this steam can reach several thousand degrees, the pressure can reach hundreds of atmospheres, and the speed can reach several thousand meters per second. The kinetic energy of this steam is so great that it can create a powerful thrust that allows the rocket to fly.
Of course, not all rocket engines use fuels and oxidizers containing hydrogen and oxygen, and some rocket engines use other chemicals, such as solid rocket engines use solid fuel and solid oxidizers, liquid rocket engines use liquid fuels and liquid oxidizers, and some rocket engines use nuclear, electrical, solar, etc. But no matter what substance is used, the basic principle of a rocket engine is the same, that is, using Newton's third law, the gas produced by combustion is ejected at high speed to generate thrust.
The history of the development of rocket engines can be traced back to ancient times, and the earliest rocket engines were invented by the Chinese. According to historical records, in the 11th century, the Chinese invented gunpowder, which is a mixture containing sulfur, charcoal, and nitrate, which can be quickly burned after ignition, producing a large amount of gas and heat. The Chinese used gunpowder to make various firearms, such as rockets, artillery, muskets, etc. Among them, the rocket is a primitive rocket engine, which is to put gunpowder in a bamboo or iron cylinder, after ignition, the gas produced by the combustion of gunpowder is sprayed out from the mouth of the cylinder, generating thrust and allowing the cylinder to fly. This rocket was originally used for civilian purposes such as fireworks, signals, lighting, etc., and later also for military purposes as an offensive **.
Rocket technology later spread to Europe, Arabia and other places, and was also used in military and civilian use. But until the end of the 19th century, rocket technology was not greatly developed, because the energy of gunpowder was limited, the speed and range of the rocket were also limited, and the combustion of gunpowder was unstable and easy, and the accuracy and reliability of the rocket were not high. It was not until the beginning of the 20th century that a breakthrough began to be made in rocket technology, which was mainly due to two factors: first, the invention of new fuels and oxidizers, and second, the in-depth study of rocket principles and performance.
The invention of new fuels and oxidizers has greatly increased the energy and efficiency of rockets, and the speed and range of rockets have also been greatly increased. The earliest new fuels and oxidizers were liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen, which were proposed by the Russian scientist Tsiolkovsky in 1903, who believed that liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen were the most ideal rocket fuels and oxidizers because their specific impulse (i.e., thrust per unit mass) was the highest, and the water vapor produced by combustion was harmless. Tsiolkovsky also proposed the concept of multi-stage rockets, that is, the rocket is divided into stages, each with its own fuel and oxidizer, and when the fuel of one stage is used up, it is discarded, thereby reducing the weight of the rocket and increasing the speed of the rocket. Tsiolkovsky is considered the founder of rocket science, and his theories had an important influence on the later development of rocket technology.
The in-depth study of the principle and performance of the rocket has made the design and manufacture of the rocket more scientific and accurate, and the reliability and safety of the rocket have also been greatly improved. The earliest in-depth study of the principles and performance of rockets was started in 1914 by American scientist Robert Goddard, who was the first person to experimentally build and launch liquid rockets, and he also invented many important parts of rockets, such as nozzles, pumps, gyroscopes, etc. Godard is considered a pioneer in rocket engineering, and his experiments laid the foundation for later developments in rocket technology.
In the 30s of the 20th century, rocket technology also developed rapidly in Germany, the Soviet Union, Japan and other countries, mainly for military purposes, such as the manufacture of missiles, rocket artillery, etc. Among them, the most famous is the German V2 rocket, which was the first liquid rocket to be used on a large scale and the first rocket capable of flying out of the atmosphere, it can reach a maximum speed of 5500 kilometers per hour and a maximum range of 320 kilometers, it caused great damage to Britain and other countries in World War II. The V2 rocket was designed by von Braun, who is considered a leading figure in rocket technology, and his design had a profound influence on the development of rocket technology.
After the end of World War II, rocket technology entered a new stage, the space age. The United States and the Soviet Union each obtained a large amount of rocket technology and talent from Germany, and began the space race, competing for control and superiority in space. At this stage, rocket technology has made amazing achievements, such as:
In 1957, the Soviet Union issued the first artificial satellite, namely Sputnik 1, which was launched by an improved R-7 rocket, the R-7 rocket is a liquid rocket composed of liquid oxygen and kerosene, its maximum speed can reach 28,000 kilometers per hour, and the maximum range can reach 8,000 kilometers, it is the first rocket capable of launching intercontinental ballistic missiles, and it is also the first rocket capable of launching artificial satellites.
In 1961, the Soviet Union sent the first astronaut, that is, Gagarin, he flew on the Vostok 1 spacecraft, which was launched by an improved R-7 rocket, and he flew in space for 108 minutes, orbiting the earth, completing the first manned space flight in human history.
In 1969, the United States launched its first lunar mission, namely Apollo 11, which was launched by a Saturn 5 rocket, the Saturn 5 rocket is a liquid rocket composed of liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen, it was the largest and strongest rocket at that time, its height was 110 meters, its weight was 3000 tons, and its thrust was 3400 tons, it could put a payload of 140 tons into Earth orbit, or a payload of 50 tons into lunar orbit. The command module, service module and lunar module of Apollo 11 made up the Apollo spacecraft, which separated in space, the lunar module landed on the surface of the moon, the command module and the service module flew around the moon, and the two astronauts on the lunar module, namely Armstrong and Aldrin, became the first people to land on the moon in human history, they stayed on the moon for 21 hours, conducted various scientific experiments and samples, and also planted the American flag on the moon, completing the first manned lunar mission in human history.
In the space age, rocket technology is not only used for space exploration, but also for the peaceful use of space, such as the launch of communication satellites, navigation satellites, meteorological satellites, remote sensing satellites, etc., providing convenience and services for human life and work. At the same time, rocket technology is also used for military purposes, such as launching nuclear warheads, anti-satellites**, anti-missile systems, etc., providing guarantees and deterrence for the security and interests of the country.
The rocket is a miraculous invention that allows humans to fly out of the earth and explore space, fulfilling the dreams of mankind. The power of the rocket is better than the rocket engine, and the core principle of the rocket engine is steam power. It has gone through a long process from gunpowder to liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen, from single-stage to multi-stage, from experiment to application, from military to peace, it has witnessed the achievements and challenges of mankind, and it has also influenced human civilization and the future.
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