The physics secrets that dictate where NASA launches its rockets from (and why we don’t launch rockets from mountains)
This article explains the physics behind rocket launches, specifically why NASA chooses specific launch sites and why mountain-top launches are not practical. It details the Tsiolkovsky rocket equation and the massive fuel-to-payload ratio required for space travel.
Why it matters
Understanding the constraints of rocket science helps the public grasp the economic and engineering challenges of space exploration.
When you launch a spacecraft, you need to propel a very large, heavy object high into the air, so fast that it can overcome Earth’s gravity.
That takes one heck of a lot of energy – which means one heck of a lot of fuel and, hence ,one heck of a lot of money.
There are three key things to consider here:
So what does it take to launch a rocket into space – and are there some place on Earth more suitable than others?
What tricks do space engineers use to launch their rockets into space more effectively.
The ratio between fuel mass and payload weight is determined by something called the Tsiolkovsky rocket equation – and it’s a high one.
For instance, NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity has a mass of over 900kg (1,980lbs), of which its scientific instruments make up just 75kg (165lbs).
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