Quote:
Originally Posted by Vorkuta
I was under the impression rocket launch sites "prefer" to be near the equator... saves fuel. That might not be as much as a consideration anymore, considering advancing, cheaper tech. It sounds like maybe "duds not landing on anyone's house" is more important now.  |
No, that is still correct. It's simply physics that dictates that a launch site closer to the equator will require less energy to put something into orbit. Obviously modern rocket technology can help overcome that issue, but it's why the sites are generally located as far south as possible.
Here's a very simplified explanation:
http://www.qrg.northwestern.edu/proj...m-equator.html