Why Rockets Fly
A Primer About
Center of Gravity and Center of Pressure
By
Arjuna Ponchione
For
Physics 211
www.geocities.com/~highpowerocket/whitakers.htm
What do these two rockets have in common?
A lot more than you might think. In order for any rocket to fly, it must obey some basic rules of physics. No rocket can escape the cardinal rule that the center of gravity must be in front of the center of pressure.