Book 8, Question 94
Why Do Rockets Launch Toward the East Often?
Rockets often launch toward the east because Earth already spins eastward! Launching east borrows that free speed, saving fuel on the way to orbit. At the equator, the ground itself moves at about 1,670 kilometers an hour.
More fun facts
- Earth spins toward the east, making one full turn each day.
- At the equator, the ground spins at about 1,675 kilometers (1,041 miles) per hour.
- A rocket sitting on its launch pad is already moving east with the ground.
- Launching toward the east adds that spinning speed to the rocket's own speed, a big free boost.
- Aiming a spacecraft the same way Earth travels around the Sun gives it a head start toward other planets.
- Using both of these motions saves a lot of fuel and time.
Sources: NASA Space Place
Questions kids ask
What is a launch window?
It is the best stretch of time to launch a rocket toward its target. Like a window in a wall, it is an opening, but in time.