Explanation:
A projectile is usually launched by an initial force, is influenced by gravity forces and air resistance, and takes a parabolic, or more accurately, an elliptical path. At the beginning of the launch of a rocket, the rocket is mostly under the effect of its engine thrust, and takes a vertical flight path upwards; using engine thrust to maneuver itself to remain in this vertical flight till it is almost at its required orbit. At this stage, the rocket can't be said to follow a projectile path. When the rocket gets to the pitchover stage, at which it is almost ready to enter its atmosphere, the engine thrust is maneuvered to turn the rocket by an angle of attack. At this stage, the flight path is no longer vertical. At this point after pitchover, in which the flight path is no longer vertical, gravity tends to pull the rocket down in a parabolic path. This is the point where the rocket acts as a projectile, but is countered by engine thrust.
