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The relativistic velocity-addition formula becomes addition of rapidities for collinear Lorentz boosts. Starting from rest, applying the same positive rest-frame velocity increment $c\tanh \alpha$ repeatedly gives $u_n=c\tanh (n\alpha )$. For increment $c/2$, $\alpha =\frac{1}{2}\log 3$ and $u_n=c(3^n-1)/(3^n+1)$. Every finite sequence remains below the speed of light.

Use the inverse Lorentz transformationAlong the particle's worldline $d{x}^{\prime }=u^{\prime }d{t}^{\prime }$, so the relativistic velocity-addition formula isFor subluminal collinear velocities, put $u/c=\tanh {\phi }_u$, $u^{\prime }/c=\tanh {\phi }_{u^{\prime }}$ and $v/c=\tanh {\phi }_v$. The hyperbolic tangent addition formula, obtained by dividing the supplied sine/cosine addition formulas, givesBecause hyperbolic tangent is injective on the real line,Thus rapidity is additive even though velocity is not.

Each positive increment in the instantaneous rest frame adds the same rapidity $\alpha =\mathrm{artanh}(1/2)=\frac{1}{2}\log 3$. Starting from zero rapidity, iterated collinear boosts with equal rapidity giveEvery finite number of increments leaves $u_n<c$; the speed of light is approached as $n\to \infty$.

Now $m$ denotes the instantaneous rest mass of the rocket, including its fuel and stored internal energy, and $v$ is measured in a fixed inertial frame. Assume the exhaust is expelled backwards with speed $0<u<c$ in the rocket's instantaneous rest frame. By the relativistic velocity-addition formula, material emitted at time $\tau$ has inertial velocityIt coasts at this velocity after emission.

The crucial change is that the expelled material's rest mass is not simply $-dm$: some of the rocket's rest energy becomes exhaust motion. Instead, use conservation of relativistic energy. Put $q(t)=m(t)\gamma (t)$, so the rocket's energy is $c^{2}q(t)$. The exhaust emitted during $d\tau$ carries energy $-c^2{q}^{\prime }(\tau )d\tau$. For material moving at velocity $w$, the relativistic energy-momentum relation gives momentum $wE/c^2$, since $E={\gamma }_{\mathrm{ex}}\mu c^2$ and $p={\gamma }_{\mathrm{ex}}\mu w$. Hence the modified total momentum isMeanwhile the total relativistic energy is $c^2[q(t)-{\int }_0^t{q}^{\prime }(\tau )d\tau ]=c^{2}q(0)$. These expressions consistently account for both energy and momentum of the expelled material.

Differentiate the momentum formula. The momentum conservation law givesTo simplify it, useMultiplying by ${\gamma }^2(1-uv/c^2)$, the equation becomesThe two terms containing $uv/c^2$ cancel. Dividing by $\gamma >0$ proves the relativistic rocket equation

Along the particle's worldline,The boost from $S$ to $S^{\prime }$ givesThereforeand division of the transformed coordinate velocities by this factor gives the relativistic velocity-addition formula

For collinear motion without external forces, a rocket ejecting material backwards at constant speed $u$ in its instantaneous rest frame obeys $m{\gamma }^{2}dv+udm=0$. Here $m$ is the rocket's rest mass, including stored internal energy, and $\gamma$ is its Lorentz factor in the chosen inertial frame. The equation follows from momentum conservation, conservation of relativistic energy, and the relativistic velocity-addition formula; expelled rest mass is not simply the decrease in rocket rest mass.