if our fastest and most aerodynamic fighter jets go 2,000mph, what is special about rocket ships that allow them to achieve 25,000mph for escape velocity

Question

I just always assumed to achieve higher speeds in the universe you needed to be smaller and more aerodynamic. The Lockheed Blackbird is the fastest fighter jet we have and it goes only 2000mph. This fighter jet seems like it would be more aerodynamic than a rocket ship.

What is special about the rocket ships that allow them to achieve 25,000mph without being disintegrated when leaving the atmosphere and achieving escape velocity to go into space?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

In: 3

Answer 1

The rocket’s mass is mostly fuel and burns it all over a few minutes. The fighter jet carries far less fuel (though since it burns the fuel in atmosphere instead of carrying its own oxidizer, it’s far more fuel efficient) and burns that fuel over the course of hours.

Anyway, the answer is basically that

* the rocket motor generates far more thrust
* isn’t dependent on atmosphere to generate that thrust
* continues to accelerate when you get above the atmosphere, removing aerodynamic drag as a limitation to speed