How do rockets steer in space without air?

Rockets can steer in vacuum because they control the direction of their own exhaust. Main engines may pivot on gimbals, changing the thrust vector and turning the vehicle during launch. Once in space, smaller thrusters called reaction control system jets can rotate the spacecraft in pitch, yaw, and roll. Some spacecraft also use reaction wheels or control moment gyros, which spin internal masses to change orientation without using propellant. These methods are essential because spacecraft must point antennas, solar panels, and instruments very precisely.