Rocket engines space propulsion systems

Propulsion generates kinetic energy to facilitate motion of spacecraft. Although propulsion is provided by various types of devices, the most common propulsion system of modern space technology is a rocket engine, a device that propels a rocket by a force... 

The field of propulsion deals with the means by which aircraft, missiles, and spacecraft are propelled toward their destinations. Subjects of development include propellers and rotors driven by internal combustion engines or jet engines, rockets powered by solid- or liquid-fueled engines, spacecraft powered by ion engines, solar sails or nuclear reactors, and matter-antimatter engines. Propulsion system metrics include thrust, power, cycle efficiency, propulsion efficiency, specific impulse, and thrust-specific fuel consumption. Advances in this field have enabled hiunanity to travel across the world in a few hours, visit space and the Moon, and send probes to distant planets. 

The Commission questioned employees of the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, who were responsible for the shuttle s entire propulsion system, including the orbiter main engine, external fuel tank, and SRBs (solid rocket boosters), and also Morton Thiokol, the contractor that had the contract on the SRMs. After the 0-ring problems were discovered through internal documents leaked to the press, the Commission s stance toward NASA shifted from one of cooperative oversight to one of confrontation. 

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