One-Point Lead? Many U.S. technicians believe that the Russians have probably long since frozen their basic rocket design upon one model, and it now functions with workhorse reliability.
Rocket technology predates space exploration by almost a thousand years, and although today's computerized multi-ton launch vehicles are a lot more capable than 11th-century gunpowder-assisted ...
The most basic rockets work by expelling exhaust gases ... and materials science. You would need to design and manufacture components like combustion chambers, turbines, and nozzles, and ensure ...