How do reusable rockets land vertically after launching into space?

A rocket can come back to Earth like a skydiver who knows how to land on their feet.

When a rocket goes up into space, it uses engines and fuel to push itself higher and faster. But when it needs to come back down, it has to slow down, just like you slow down when you stop running.

To slow down, the rocket turns on special engines at the bottom. These engines fire in a way that helps the rocket go up slowly instead of fast, kind of like pressing the brakes on a bicycle going downhill.

Once it's almost back to Earth, the rocket starts to flip so it can land right-side-up, just like you flip over when you fall asleep. Then, special legs pop out from underneath, like feet that help it stand up straight. The rocket lands gently on these legs, just like a cat landing softly after jumping off a table.

This whole process makes rockets reusable, they don’t need to be thrown away after each trip!