Rocketry principle
Thrust-to-Weight Ratio
The ratio of an engine's or vehicle's thrust to its weight. To lift off, a launch vehicle's thrust must exceed its weight — a thrust-to-weight ratio above one — while efficient upper-stage and in-space engines can operate well below one. It is the counterpoint to specific impulse: high-thrust engines often trade away efficiency, and vice versa.
Highlights
- ›Must exceed one to lift off the pad
Hardware & related concepts
Knowledge connections
- Associated withF-1
- Associated withMerlin 1D
- Associated withSpecific Impulse
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.