Both rockets and jets are designed for flights,great flights that traverses hundred to thousands of kilometers,and millions of kilometers if not more in the case of the former.
Looking around history,the emergence of these objects of flight in the modern form could be linked to the need of the US military at the end of World War II.And today,great advances have been made,via research and development,to improve on the lots of those designs that pace-setted the aerospace and aircraft industries.So,there are configurations having both engines separately and as combined models for special purposes.
But then,does any difference exist between a rocket and a jet?Definitely yes.First of all,a rocket is designed to be used to convert chemical energy to thrust.If a spaceship will rise at all from the hanger and begin its journey to the far away space,whether it is manned space flight,planetary spacecraft,or lunar spacecraft,the input of the rocket cannot be over-emphasized.The chemical energy for a rocket engine may come from one of two ways-solid or liquid fuel,while the thrust desired is the pull against gravity.On the other hand,a jet converts its chemical energy to lift,a necessary condition to stabilize in the atmosphere.
Second,rocket engines are designed as multistage models consisting of two or more sections called stages,with each stage having its own rocket engine propellant.Multistage rocket engines are designed for long flight through the atmosphere and for flight in space.Lightness in weight is a reason why a multistage rocket will reach higher speed and will drop stages as it uses up its fuel or propellant.A two-stage rocket can reach about two times the speed of a single stage rocket carrying the amount of fuel.Booster,as the first stage is called launches the rocket,after burning its supply of fuel or propellant,resulting in the falling away of the first stage from the rest of the space shuttle.The payload into earth’s orbit or further into space is carried by the second stage.A jet engine is a single stage machine for all models.
Third,for both manned space flight and lunar spacecraft,the astronaut’s corporate wear is the spacesuit.However,a jet is either a commercial or private airbus demanding only a flight safari or suit from the pilot.The white color is unique in the airline industry and has been kept a corporate color for years,though other colors are now in use.
An astronaut hulls or moves a rocket while a pilot channel the course of a jet.Again,the duties of an astronaut is far more different from that of a pilot.While an astronaut studies and practise astronomy,the pilot studies the mechanism of hulling a jet engine of all models.
Both solar and planetary researches are part of the duty of the astronaut in relation to the rocket,the main concern of the pilot as far as the jet is concerned is hull it to and fro safely.
A rocket is an instrument of research for space exploration in astronomy,while a jet is either a private or commercial product.Space exploration remains the only way for mankind to get more information abhaout our earth,the sun,entire solar system and distant galaxies.The wealth of data that have been exhumed by astronomers over the years serves to attest to this.On the other hand,commercial airbuses are towards only profit and not research in any way.
Rockets on space expedition are always equipped with oxygen gas in cylinders or bottles to assist the continuous combustion process as they journey to the space.There is practically no air or oxygen in space.A jet operates in the oxygen rich zone of the earth’s atmosphere and does not need to carry oxygen bottles.A lot of calculation is also involved to determine the quantity of oxygen required for each voyage so that stock would not finish mid-way.
The propulsion of rocket converts chemical energy into thrust,via a vertical translational motion.Jet propulsion concerts chemical energy into drag,via a horizontal translational motion.translational motion changes the position of a body from one point to another via a
straight line.Chemical energy is the main energy reserve in fuels,and is sourced from gas,diesel,or kerosene.
As far as space voyage is concerned, a rocket has three option,including planetary spacecraft,manned space flight,and lunar spacecraft.A planetary spacecraft has a mission to go to space,all alone,without astronauts,to explore one or more planets.Manned space flight will have the cover of astronauts to make a journey to space,while lunar spacecraft has a mission to explore the moon.As for a jet,the only mission is to carry passengers from one airport to the other.
Moreover,while most jets have a high lift to drag ratio,the drag of a rocket is usually much greater than the lift.There are four force acting on either of the two at any point in flight.These include lift,thrust,drag,and weight.However,a jet would gain a high lift to drag ratio to balance out and keep steady at the chosen distance above sea level.However,distance above sea level is not a necessity for a rocket that is space bound.Rather,a greater drag is all that is necessary to enter the required orbit.
Lastly,it could be seen that there exist a whole lot of differences between a jet and a rocket.While a rocket converts its chemical energy to thrust,a jet will change the energy to lift.Multistage models which are not found in jets are common in rockets.The corporate wear of astronauts in space rocket is spacesuit.Jet pilots have corporate flight suit of various colors.A pilot channels the course of a jet airplane while an astronaut does the same for a rocket.In a way,these differences are clear testimony that these two machines have been designed by engineers with different motives in mind.
