i always thought they chose these launch sites because if something
went wrong they would have a less populated area to deal with and
could abort with minimal loss of life.
The reasoning goes like this: first you want a launch site that is
as close to the equator as possible, because at the equator, the
rocket is moving at 60 m/s from west to east, even as it sits on
its launch pad -- simply because the earth's surface moves at that
speed. With that speed boost, it takes less energy (and thus fuel)
to accelerate the rocket to the speed required for the intended
orbit. Because the launch pad moves from west to east, you want to
launch the rocket in that direction -- otherwise, you would need
even more fuel when the rocket moves at 60 m/s in the wrong
direction. That's why satellites generally move from west to east.
Now you don't want first rocket stages or the debris from an
aborted launch to hit inhabited areas, so a launch site on the east
coast (or a launch site at the western border of some uninhabited
wasteland) is best.
--
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http://www.michael-hussmann.de
This was better than reading a SiFi (which I don't read).Actually it was
very interesting. Can't wait to see the photos. How old is the Cidar
you're drinking??--Lois
