Ballistic in the aerospace context refers to the motion of an object that is subject to the force of gravity only, after the propulsion system has stopped providing thrust.
Ballistic flight is often used to describe the flight of a vehicle or missile that is in free fall or follows a parabolic trajectory, and is not actively guided or controlled.
In the aerospace context, ballistic missiles are missiles that are designed to follow a predetermined trajectory, and are not capable of being guided or controlled after launch. They are usually propelled by a rocket engine and can carry nuclear, conventional or non-nuclear payloads.
Ballistic reentry is the term used to describe the process of an object returning to the Earth's atmosphere from space, it is a type of reentry where the object is not actively guided and follows a parabolic trajectory determined by its velocity and gravity.
Examples of Ballistic missiles are ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles) which are designed to travel long distances, typically over intercontinental ranges, and are equipped with nuclear warheads. Another example is the submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM) which are launched from submarines, they are also equipped with nuclear warheads and travel over intercontinental ranges.
Examples of Ballistic reentry are the Apollo Command Module, which used a ballistic reentry to return to Earth after a trip to the Moon, and the space shuttle, which also used a ballistic reentry during its return to Earth.
In summary, Ballistic in the aerospace context refers to the motion of an object that is subject to the force of gravity only, after the propulsion system has stopped providing thrust, it can be used to describe the flight of a missile, reentry or any other object that follows a predetermined trajectory.
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