Flight maneuver
Gravity-Turn Ascent
The efficient launch trajectory in which a rocket pitches over slightly after liftoff and then lets gravity gradually bend its path toward the horizontal, keeping the vehicle aligned with its velocity to minimise aerodynamic loads and steering losses. Nearly every orbital launch follows a gravity-turn profile from the pad to orbit.
Highlights
- ›Letting gravity bend the ascent toward orbit
Hardware & related concepts
Knowledge connections
- Associated withRocket Staging
- Associated withThrust Vector Control
Sources
The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.
- NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.