3 ms·

You’re right. 45.6deg vs 51.8deg N. The eastward boost you get from the earths rotation is just: 2 * pi * cos(latitude)/day so the difference is: 2 * pi * r_Ea

You’re right. 45.6deg vs 51.8deg N. The eastward boost you get from the earths rotation is just: 2 * pi * cos(latitude)/day so the difference is: 2 * pi * r_Earth*(cos(45.2deg)-cos(51.8deg))/day = 40m/s. Which doesn’t sound like a lot but can add up. I compared Plesetsk (Russia) vs Baikonur (Kazakhstan) in the Silverbird Astronautics calculator for Soyuz v2-1B using 3.3m fairing and without Fregat, and I got 1552kg estimated payload to escape for Plesetsk and 1665kg for Baikonur. 7% performance hit to high energy trajectories. http://www.silverbirdastronautics.com/LVperform.html http://www.silverbirdastronautics.com/LVperform.html Plesetsk is more established than V, but is 63deg latitude.

latchkey 4y ago
I never considered this and your response made me ask google the question: "Where is the best place to launch a vehicle?" "The land at the equator is moving 1670 km per hour, and land halfway to the pole is only moving 1180 km per hour, so launching from the equator makes the spacecraft move almost 500 km/hour faster once it is launched." Neat, thanks for such an interesting answer.
- jareklupinski 4y ago
  wondering if there is an inhabited planet somewhere out there much more optimized for launching spacecraft with its equatorial denizens barely hanging on to its surface
  - s1artibartfast 4y ago
    Size and mass are the other big factors.
- Symbiote 4y ago
  Kourou, at 5° North, is very nicely positioned.
- hadlock 4y ago
  Yeah it's no accident SpaceX built their test launch facility on the beach in Texas, less than 10 miles from the southernmost point in Texas. Brownsville is about 20 miles away and is a natural, true deepwater port which is also helpful, but primary reason was to get as close to the equator as possible while still being on the US mainland. You can throw about 9% more mass into orbit on the equator than from NYC. Florida coastal property is mostly built out and southern Texas is mostly vacant + has a very favorable business climate and lax (state-level) environmental regulations which doesn't hurt either.

latchkey 4y ago

I never considered this and your response made me ask google the question: "Where is the best place to launch a vehicle?" "The land at the equator is moving 1670 km per hour, and land halfway to the pole is only moving 1180 km per hour, so launching from the equator makes the spacecraft move almost 500 km/hour faster once it is launched." Neat, thanks for such an interesting answer.

jareklupinski 4y ago
wondering if there is an inhabited planet somewhere out there much more optimized for launching spacecraft with its equatorial denizens barely hanging on to its surface
- s1artibartfast 4y ago
  Size and mass are the other big factors.
Symbiote 4y ago
Kourou, at 5° North, is very nicely positioned.
hadlock 4y ago
Yeah it's no accident SpaceX built their test launch facility on the beach in Texas, less than 10 miles from the southernmost point in Texas. Brownsville is about 20 miles away and is a natural, true deepwater port which is also helpful, but primary reason was to get as close to the equator as possible while still being on the US mainland. You can throw about 9% more mass into orbit on the equator than from NYC. Florida coastal property is mostly built out and southern Texas is mostly vacant + has a very favorable business climate and lax (state-level) environmental regulations which doesn't hurt either.