Table of Contents
- 1 What is the most ideal place for a rocket launch pad?
- 2 Why is it cheaper to launch rockets from the equator?
- 3 Is there a difference between launching a rocket near the equator versus launching the rocket at the South Pole?
- 4 Why is Sriharikota rocket launching station?
- 5 What is the water used for in a rocket launch?
What is the most ideal place for a rocket launch pad?
Rockets can most easily reach satellite orbits if launched near the equator in an easterly direction, as this maximizes use of the Earth’s rotational speed (465 m/s at the equator). Such launches also provide a desirable orientation for arriving at a geostationary orbit.
Why is it easier to launch rockets near the equator?
Launching from the equator has an advantage when launching into a low inclination orbit (an orbit that is nearly parallel to the equator.) This is because the earth’s rotation adds to the horizontal velocity of the rocket so less fuel is required to achieve orbital velocity.
Why don’t we launch rockets from mountain tops?
Rockets launched in thick atmosphere can go so fast that air resistance may cause structural damage. A launch from high altitude need not throttle back at max Q as it starts above the thickest portion of the Earth’s atmosphere.
Why is it cheaper to launch rockets from the equator?
It’s easy to notice that most launch sites are located close to the Equator. This is because rockets launched from sites near the Equator get an additional natural boost that helps save the cost of putting in extra fuel and boosters.
What are rocket launch pads called?
A launch pad is an above-ground facility from which a rocket-powered missile or space vehicle is vertically launched. The term launch pad can be used to describe just the central launch platform (mobile launcher platform), or the entire complex (launch complex).
How far away from Cape Canaveral can you see a launch?
Cape Canaveral launch viewing is also possible from further away. Larger rockets like the SpaceX Falcon Heavy can be seen after take off from distances up to around 700km away.
Is there a difference between launching a rocket near the equator versus launching the rocket at the South Pole?
The land at the equator is moving 1670 km per hour, and land halfway to the pole is only moving 1180 km per hour, so launching from the equator makes the spacecraft move almost 500 km/hour faster once it is launched.
Is it better to launch rockets near the equator?
If a spacecraft is launched from a site near Earth’s equator, it can take optimum advantage of the Earth’s substantial rotational speed. Sitting on the launch pad near the equator, it is already moving at a speed of over 1650 km per hour relative to Earth’s center.
Can we launch rockets from mountains?
Altitude is much less important than velocity. * The extra altitude you’d get from launching from a top of a mountain would not be worth the expense of having to lug the rocket up there in the first place. Every time you get some altitude, you also get a minuscule amount of velocity because the Earth is rotating.
Why is Sriharikota rocket launching station?
Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) or Sriharikota Range (SHAR) is a rocket launch centre (spaceport) operated by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)….Satish Dhawan Space Centre.
| Map of SDSC | |
|---|---|
| Satellite imagery of SDSC two days before PSLV-C37 launch. | |
| Formation | 1 October 1971 |
| Location | Sriharikota, Nellore, Andhra Pradesh, India |
When was the launch pad used by NASA?
Typically used to launch NASA’s crewed spaceflight missions since the late 1960s, the pad was leased by SpaceX and has been modified to support their launch vehicles. In 1961, President Kennedy proposed to Congress the goal of landing a man on the Moon by the end of the decade.
How tall is the tower that the rocket launches from?
You can see how high the towers reach, high enough to ensure there is no risk of lightning hitting the craft. Update by @highonrope: The rectangle which the rocket launches through is huge …from the ground to the bottom of the “candle stick” is 250 feet tall.
What is the water used for in a rocket launch?
The launch pad is equipped with a water system that deluges the mobile launch platform and flame trench in the seconds before liftoff. The water is not used to cool the structures from the intense exhaust, but to dampen the sound vibrations coming from the main engines and solid rocket boosters.
What is inside the Space Shuttle launch pad?
The launch pad facilities focus on the space shuttle. The white sphere stores liquid hydrogen fuel that will power the shuttle’s three main engines. On the other side of the complex, an identical storage tank holds liquid oxygen, also for the main engines.