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SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/aero-thrust-greater-than-weight

For a rocket to lift off the pad, how must its thrust compare to its weight?

Thrust must be greater than the rocket's weight, so the forces become unbalanced upward.

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  1. Thrust must equal the weight
  2. Thrust can be a little less than the weight
  3. Thrust must be greater than the weight ✔

Why: Sitting on the pad, the rocket's forces are balanced. If thrust only equals weight, the rocket just hovers. Thrust has to beat weight to create an unbalanced upward force and climb.

Huh, didn't know that: Rocket forces switch between balanced and unbalanced many times during a single flight.

The dad joke
Why did the rocket skip the scale? It was trying to lose weight before the big launch.
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References

Answer: Thrust must be greater than the weight. Sitting on the pad, the rocket's forces are balanced. If thrust only equals weight, the rocket just hovers. Thrust has to beat weight to create an unbalanced upward force and climb.

  1. NASA Space Place, How Do We Launch Things Into Space? spaceplace.nasa.gov/launching-into-space/en
    the thrust pushing the rocket up is greater than the force of gravity pulling the rocket down.
    Checked 2026-10-10.

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