Aerospike Engines: The Next Generation Of Rocket Science

At the heart of rocketry is a scientific principle that has been established for over 300 years. A principle so popular that is has even creeped its way into our literature – every action has an equal and opposite reaction. If you stand in front of a wall and push it hard, you will move backwards. Similarly, if you stand on a skateboard and throw a heavy object away from you as hard as you can (don't try this at home), you will roll in the opposite direction. As you push an object forward, the object pushes back on you with the same amount of force.

In a rocket, the 'object' being pushed is the end product of burning fuel, which shoots out of the back of the rocket as the fuel burns, forcing the rocket to move in the opposite direction i.e. providing thrust. Early rockets used a solidified mixture of fuel and oxygen to achieve thrust due to their simple design and high thrust output. However, the lack of thrust control was a significant limitation, making them less