4 ms·
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
by Tuna-Fish 9y ago
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.
* https://what-if.xkcd.com/58/ https://what-if.xkcd.com/58/
- jeffdavis 9y agoThank you, very interesting. But what is the point of a space elevator then?
- marcosdumay 9y agoA space elevator gets you velocity too. Every time you get some altitude, you also get a minuscule amount of velocity because the Earth is rotating. A space elevator gets you so much mind blowing altitude that you'll also get all the velocity you need.