4 ms·
You either lose energy to gravity during the launch or while in the air. Either way you lose that energy, it really doesn't matter when. Rockets turn sideways
by burgerbrain 16y ago
You either lose energy to gravity during the launch or while in the air. Either way you lose that energy, it really doesn't matter when.
Rockets turn sideways because when you're in orbit, you're moving sideways.
- SerpentJoe 16y agoYou're right, but look up gravity drag. Every second you're standing on your boosters you're wasting fuel. Imagine wearing a jetpack and wasting all your fuel hovering an inch off the ground. If you turn horizontal the thrust is invested rather than spent, but first you have to build enough speed to not crash.
- stcredzero 16y agoActually, once you get to a high enough altitude, it doesn't take that much fuel to maintain your speed. The "Pop-up" trajectory (first stage up, 2nd stage forwards) is one that's actually practical and has been proposed for TSTO.