r/PeterExplainsTheJoke 11d ago

Meme needing explanation Whyyyy peter?

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u/rysy0o0 11d ago

It would cost a lot of money to haul all the rocket parts and fuel on top of a mountain

u/Earnestappostate 11d ago

Plus, you get a better boost by launching near the equator. Height is easy, speed is what you need in a rocket.

This is why the US launches from Florida:

  • Near equator (speed boost from earth's spin)
  • Initially out over ocean (catastrophic failure harms only those aboard)

u/Believer4 11d ago

Initially out over ocean (catastrophic failure harms only those aboard)

Even that's mitigated by the launch abort system, in the case of crewed launches

u/Earnestappostate 10d ago

Sure, but not initially when Florida was picked. There is also a big difference between passive and active safety systems.

u/mukkor 10d ago

Sure, mitigated somewhat. It's not 100% effective though. It only takes your house being destroyed by debris from a spacecraft explosion once for you to say, "Why was the spacecraft over my house and not over the ocean?"