How does a Rocket Stops in Space ?

Question

When a rocket is moving in space and when it have to apply brakes or can say have slow down the velocity ,what is the mechanism?

Answer 1

it applies thrusters in the opposite direction of its momentum

Answer 2

There is a basic principle of mechanics that "for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction." This is Newton's Third Law of Motion. Any time you push on or throw something, the same force that acts on the object pushes you the other way. All of our experiments and experience show that it must balance. If you are not secured somehow, you will move away from the thing you push or throw.

Imagine floating in a pool and pushing on another swimmer. If you are not touching the walls, you move away from the person you are pushing as well as him moving away from you. Same thing happens in space: the rocket pushes exhaust gas out of a nozzle and the engine and the craft are pushed the other way. The greater the force expelling the gas, the greater the force on the rocket.

Craft like the space shuttle and the space station have several nozzles pointing different directions at different places so they can start and stop rotating about any axis and move or stop moving in any direction.

Answer 3

I believe that reverse thrust is the proper answer. A rocket has thrusters that point in the opposite direction to slow it down. As a previous answerer pointed out, the definition of "stopped" in terms of outer space is kind of fuzzy as everything is moving. It would be easier to defined stopped as not moving with respect to the Earth or some other celestial body.

Answer 4

In order to slow down, a rocket fires Retro-rockets (reverse thrust), that gives a thrust in the opposite direction of travel.
However, it never really 'stops', it simply matches its velocity to that of another object travelling in the same direction, which will probably still be many thousands of miles an hour.
(As when docking with the International Space Station).

Answer 5

vector nozzles... or sometimes, rocket boosters on the opposite direction.. do you know how an f/a-22 suddenly stops or slows down while travelling in supersonic speed? the same thing is applied in space shuttles..

Answer 6

Exactly the same as if it wishes to speed up, or change direction - firing the boosters (or throwing something out of the window) will have the effect of causing an exactly opposite and equal reaction in the rocket itself.
.

Answer 7

It turns around and fires the engine(s) in the reverse direction. But the concept of "stop" in space isn't well defined; everything is moving -- just moving differently.

Answer 8

The same way it accelerated to speed. How else would you figure it would stop?

Geese, Louise, fellah. Research just a little bit. You got that expensive computer and the best you can do is to ask novices for knowledge and dig in your nose?

Answer 9

there are booster motors which provide thrust in definite direction. Using proper direction the directions, velocities, orientations can be changed.

Basic priciple "For every action there is equal and apposite reaction."

Answer 10

use controlled explosions(jets) to apply a force in the other direction and slow down/stop