Space/Science — HabitableZone

Space/Science » in reply to re: An Indian capsule

Fins

Those look like standard aerodynamic fins to aid stability and steering of the rocket as it rises through the atmosphere. They may be fixed fins to give passive stability or active ones for steering - it's generally simpler to steer a rocket in the lower atmosphere with fins to keep it on the planned trajectory than to have throttleable motors or steerable nozzles to give vectored thrust.

Many examples of finned rockets exist:-

http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/110968main_rocketa.gif


http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/110969main_rocketb.gif


http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/110967main_rocket4.gif

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