Why do rockets need more fuel to leave Earth than they do when they are in space?

The vehicle requires an enormous amount of fuel to break through Earth’s gravitational pull. All that fuel adds significant weight to the spacecraft, and when an object is heavier, it takes more thrust to lift it. To create more thrust, you need more fuel.

Why do spacecrafts need very little fuel?

Because fuel is very costly to put up into space (it’s heavy, and the fuel-weight factor is self-compounding), space probes in real life use as little fuel as possible.

How many minutes does it take the fuel from the boosters to burn off?

Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster

How does a rocket in frictionless space move from rest?

In space, rockets zoom around with no air to push against. What’s going on? Rockets and engines in space behave according to Isaac Newton’s third law of motion: Every action produces an equal and opposite reaction. When a rocket shoots fuel out one end, this propels the rocket forward — no air is required.

Do spacecrafts need fuel space?

The propellant is primarily needed to get the spacecraft into orbit, not to stay in orbit. When about half the propellant is burned, the bottom half of the rocket is jettisoned. This makes the remaining rocket considerably lighter, which means when the engines in the next stage ignite, they will have a greater effect.

What happens to space shuttle boosters?

Unlike rocket boosters previously used in the space program, the space shuttle’s solid rocket booster casings and associated flight hardware are recovered at sea. The expended boosters are disassembled, refurbished and reloaded with solid propellant for reuse.