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Reentry refers to the process in which a spacecraft enters Earth's atmosphere from space, requiring heat shields to withstand intense frictional heat.

An orbit is the curved path of an object around a point in space, typically around a planet or moon, due to gravitational forces.

Propellant is the chemical substance used in rocket engines to create thrust, often composed of a fuel and an oxidizer.

A Gimbal is a pivoting support that allows a rocket engine or nozzle to tilt and change the direction of thrust, enabling steering control during flight.

Specific Impulse is a measure of a rocket engine's efficiency, defined as the impulse per unit of propellant consumed.

Tsiolkovsky Rocket Equation relates the change in a rocket's velocity to its propellant mass and the effective exhaust velocity, providing the fundamental principle of rocketry.

Attitude Control refers to the orientation of the rocket or spacecraft with respect to an inertial frame of reference, managed by thrusters or reaction wheels.

The Oberth Effect states that a spacecraft's maneuvering is more efficient when performed at higher velocities, typically closer to a celestial body's gravity well.

Geostationary Orbit is an orbit where a satellite appears stationary relative to the Earth's surface, typically at an altitude of approximately 35,786 kilometers.

A Polar Orbit is one in which a satellite passes over the Earth's poles, allowing coverage of the entire surface over time, often used for observation satellites.

A Solid Rocket Engine uses solid propellants, which are a pre-mixed composite of fuel and oxidizer, providing simpler construction but less control over thrust.

Gravity Turn is a maneuver used during rocket ascent that takes advantage of Earth's gravity to help steer the rocket on a curved trajectory.

The Nozzle is the part of a rocket engine that accelerates the exhaust gases to produce thrust, often featuring a bell or conical shape.

Hypergolic Propellant is a type of rocket propellant that ignites spontaneously upon contact between the fuel and oxidizer, without the need for an ignition system.

A Liquid Rocket Engine is a rocket engine that uses liquid propellants, typically a liquid fuel and a separate liquid oxidizer, stored in tanks and mixed in the combustion chamber.

A Bipropellant Rocket uses two types of propellants, typically a liquid fuel and a separate liquid oxidizer, which are mixed and ignited to produce thrust.

Staging involves the separation of a rocket into sections, allowing the dead weight of empty fuel tanks to be shed to improve efficiency.

Delta-v is the change in velocity that a rocket must achieve to perform a specific maneuver, such as entering orbit or landing.

Apogee is the point of the highest altitude in an orbit around Earth, while Perigee is the point of the lowest altitude.

An Inertial Guidance System is a navigation aid that uses a computer, motion sensors, and rotation sensors to continuously calculate the moving vehicle’s position and orientation.

Low Earth Orbit refers to an orbit relatively close to Earth's surface, typically between 160 to 2,000 kilometers, used for many satellites and the ISS.

Aerodynamic Drag is the resistance force caused by the interaction of the rocket with the atmosphere, which affects velocity and fuel consumption.

Microgravity refers to the condition in which objects appear to be weightless due to freefall in orbit around a celestial body, finding applications in scientific experiments.

Thrust is the force exerted by a rocket engine to propel the spacecraft forward, according to Newton's third law of motion.

Escape Velocity is the minimum speed needed for an object to break free from the gravitational attraction of a celestial body without further propulsion.

A Payload is the cargo carried by a rocket, which can include satellites, scientific instruments, or humans, excluding the vehicle itself.

Ablative Cooling is a thermal protection technique where the heat shield material burns away to absorb and dissipate heat generated during reentry.

Ballistic Coefficient is a measure of an object's ability to overcome air resistance in flight, with higher values indicating better penetration of the atmosphere.

Ground Support Equipment includes all the service equipment used to support the launch and recovery of rockets and spacecraft, such as fueling systems and transport vehicles.