Ask an Explainer

The reason rockets have fins has to do with stability. The fins help the rocket keep pointing in the direction it launched. When a rocket is flying through the air, changes in the air can make the rocket wobble. If it wobbles too much it can go off course. Having the right size, shape, and amount of fins will help make sure your rocket corrects itself when it wobbles. The size, shape, and number of fins will change things like your rocket’s center of mass, and how much drag it faces when it flies.