Soft landing (rocketry)
Encyclopedia
A soft landing is any type of aircraft
or rocket
landing that does not result in the destruction of the vehicle or anything onboard. Unlike a hard landing
, soft landings are very smooth and steady. They are often called 'good landings' because of the smooth way the aircraft lands.
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
or rocket
Rocket
A rocket is a missile, spacecraft, aircraft or other vehicle which obtains thrust from a rocket engine. In all rockets, the exhaust is formed entirely from propellants carried within the rocket before use. Rocket engines work by action and reaction...
landing that does not result in the destruction of the vehicle or anything onboard. Unlike a hard landing
Hard landing
In aviation a hard landing is an especially rapid or steep descent.Landing is the final phase in flight where the vehicle returns to the ground. A hard landing occurs when the vehicle impacts the ground with a greater vertical speed and force than in a normal landing. The average vertical speed in...
, soft landings are very smooth and steady. They are often called 'good landings' because of the smooth way the aircraft lands.