What does "rocket recovery" mean?

Rocket recovery refers specifically to the techniques and actions involved in safely retrieving a rocket after it has completed its flight. This is a critical aspect of rocketry because ensuring that the rocket is recovered intact allows for further inspection, repairs, and reusability, which are important for cost-efficiency and safety in rocketry.

Recovery methods may include parachutes, streamers, or other devices that slow the descent and facilitate a safe landing. Understanding rocket recovery is essential for those pursuing rocketry as it involves knowledge of how various recovery systems function and how to prepare for and execute recovery safely.

The other options touch on different phases of rocketry, but they do not capture the essence of what "rocket recovery" entails. Launching the rocket, designing it, and building it are all preparatory or operational phases; however, recovery signifies the concluding phase of the rocket's flight that ensures it can be effectively and safely retrieved.