Rocketry has a long history dating back to at least 400 BC. Early rockets were experimental devices that demonstrated principles like action-reaction without being true rockets. In the 1st century AD, the Chinese began attaching gunpowder to arrows to produce the first true rockets. Modern rocketry principles emerged in the 17th century through Newton's laws of motion. The 20th century saw pioneers like Tsiolkovsky and Goddard conduct practical experiments, establishing foundations for space exploration. On October 4, 1957, the Soviet launch of Sputnik transformed the world by starting the Space Age.
2. Rocketry
• From 400 BC to October 4th,
1957. The historical
developmental benchmarks of
rocketry.
• Understanding the parts of a
basic rocket.
• Production of a successful
rocket.
3. Notes - 400 BC
• 400 BC. – AULUS GELLIUS:
He wrote about a man
named ARCHYTAS who live
in the city of Tarentum,
Greece around the year 400
BC.
4. CONTINUED……
• ARCHYTAS would mystify
and amuse the children and
citizens by flying a PIGEON
made of wood. It appears
that the bird was suspended
by wires and propelled along
by escaping steam.
5. CONTINUED…..
• The PIGEON used the
ACTION-REACTION
PRINCIPLE that was not to
be stated as a scientific law
until the 17th century.
6. Notes – 100 BC
• HERO OF ALEXANDRIA (Greece)
invented a similar ROCKET
LIKE DEVICE called an
AEOLIPILE.
• http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/k12/TRC/Rockets/history_of_rockets.html
7.
8. Notes – 1st Century AD
• The CHINESE had a simple
form of GUNPOWDER. They
would put this mixture into
BAMBOO TUBES and toss
these tubes into the fires
during religious festivals.
9. CONTINUED…..
• They then began attaching
these tubes to arrows. It was
discovered that this
combination could launch itself
just from the power produced
from the ESCAPING GASSES.
• THE TRUE ROCKET WAS BORN.
10. Continued…..
• The first date known that
these rockets were used was
the year 1232. Used in the
battle of KAI-KENG. The
Chinese repelled the MONGOL
invaders by a barrage of
“arrows of flying fire”.
11. Continued…..
• Following this battle the
Mongols produced rockets
of their own and may have
been responsible for the
spread of rockets to Europe.
12.
13.
14. Additional Info…..
• Many records describe rocket
experiments through out the 13th to the
15th centuries. In England, a monk
named Roger Bacon worked on improved
forms of gunpowder that greatly
increased the range of rockets. In
France, Jean Froissart achieved more
accurate flights by launching rockets
through tubes. Froissart’s idea was the
forerunner of the modern bazooka.
Joanes de Fontana of Italy designed a
surface-running rocket-powered torpedo
for setting enemy ships on fire.
15. NOTES - 17th CENTURY
Rocketry becomes science- Latter part
of the 17th century the foundations were
laid for modern rocketry by Sir Isaac
Newton. Newton organized his
understanding of physical motion into
three specific laws.
For a more thorough understand of Sir
Isaac Newton go the following URL:
http://www.newton.ac.uk/newtlife.html
16. CONTINUED…..
• Objects at rest will stay at
rest and objects in motion
will stay in motion in a
straight line unless acted
upon by an outside force.
19. CONTINUED…..
• These are the three laws of
motion, which always
existed, were first put into
words to be studied and
understood by Sir Isaac
Newton.
20. NOTES – MODERN
ROCKETRY BEGINS
• 1898 – Russian school teacher,
Konstantin Tsiolkovsky,
proposed the exploration of
space by rocket, proposed
liquid fuels for greater range.
For his ideas, careful research,
and great vision, Tsiolkovsky
has been called “the father of
modern astronautics.”
21. CONTINUED…..
• Early in the 20th century, American Robert
Goddard conducted practical experiments
with rockets. Goddard reached several
conclusions important to rocketry.
• rockets operate with greater efficiency in a
vacuum than in air
• multistage or step rockets were the answer
to achieving high altitudes and the velocity
to escape the earth’s gravity.
• For more information click on the following
URL:
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/home/
#.UqY44fRDuSo
22. OCTOBER 4TH, 1957
• Sputnik was launched by the
Soviet Union.
• http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/SpaceAge
• This moment in time changed
the world and set it on the
course we pursue today.