Questions tagged [launch]
Questions regarding the takeoff or the liftoff phase of the flight of a rocket and the set of activities required for preparation of the launch vehicle leading to it.
1,170 questions
-1 votes
2 answers
281 views
Is an orbit possible such that its orbital linear velocity is equal to Earth's rotational linear velocity at the equator?
Is such an orbit possible so that only a vertical launch from the equator would put it in that orbit, or is it outside Earth's sphere of influence? It looks like it would be past the moon. I have ...
-5 votes
2 answers
134 views
Can orbit be achieved by first doing a vertical launch and then simply pitching 90 degrees and burning horizontally?
It seems like this would be the simplest solution to get to orbit. Also, it might be able to produce repeatable results when launched from the same place.
-1 votes
2 answers
154 views
Can orbit be achieved by launching at a constant angle such that the vertical and horizontal components are the requirements for orbit?
I was thinking about a schematic for getting into orbit where a long rocket-shaped tube is placed at such an angle that if the rocket is constantly burning at that angle the vertical and horizontal ...
-3 votes
2 answers
242 views
Am I correct in saying we are close to the point where transport will no longer be the largest technological hurdle in space colonisation? [closed]
In recent years, the costs of launch into Earth orbit and other space transportation costs have fallen significantly, some would even say dramatically. If the end goal is a self-sustaining colony ...
- 463
9 votes
1 answer
1k views
Are there ever exceptions to no earlier than (NET) dates?
Have there ever been recorded instance(s) where launch(es) occurred before previously announced NET date(s)? Are there are any jurisdictions where this could feasibly happen in the coming years?
- 147
8 votes
3 answers
4k views
How (in)efficient would a rocket be that flew to orbital heights, hovered for a while, and then fell back down instead of going into orbit and back?
I understand in a vague and not mathematically rigorous way that most of the energy required to get a spacecraft into orbit goes into gaining "forward" speed, not actually in gaining ...
- 83
8 votes
2 answers
247 views
Are rocket companies financially responsible for flight delays and deviations due to falling debris and other possible side effects of failed launches
Are rocket companies financially responsible for flight delays and deviations due to falling debris and other possible side effects of failed launches?
- 1,362
1 vote
1 answer
152 views
Ascent trajectory Non Stagnation Point wall temperature Space Shuttle External tank
Are there any available data on the Space Shuttle External Tank wall temperatures, for the points and surfaces other than the stagnation point? I found an interesting paper here -> https://ntrs....
- 171
1 vote
1 answer
377 views
What is this object seen above Starship before launching on IFT-6?
While watching Starship a few hours before the launch of IFT-6, I noticed an object (circled in red) above Starship (screenshot below). The launch video is too zoomed out/low resolution for me to ...
- 7,248
2 votes
1 answer
478 views
How much payload could Falcon 9 send to a 100km lunar orbit?
SpaceX has said that Falcon 9 can send 4020 kilograms to Mars. However, I can't seem to find the payload capacity to lunar orbit. So, how much payload can Falcon 9 send to a lunar orbit at an altitude ...
- 7,248
7 votes
4 answers
2k views
what would be an alternative for Spin Launch?
I've seen Spin Launch several times, a system where payload/rocket is spun up to a certain velocity in a vacuum and then "thrown" into the exosphere or space. I found this concept of "...
- 2,506
0 votes
0 answers
159 views
Descriptions of Sea Dragon contain self-contradictory numbers. How can this be resolved? [duplicate]
The Sea Dragon was a breathtakingly audacious design concept from 1962. Its proposed mass was almost 4 times that of Starship. Hold onto your popcorn if you watch this: ....
- 36.6k
25 votes
1 answer
4k views
Is it impossible to launch a rocket from Venus’ surface to space?
This very thoughtful question points out there are limits to launching chemical rockets, particularly due to a planet’s gravity: How much bigger could Earth be, before rockets wouldn't work? A ...
- 36.6k
3 votes
0 answers
121 views
Trajectory of Launch
Where online are the anticipated trajectory of rocket launches shown prior to launches from Florida? This will allow ability to find launches in flight.
2 votes
3 answers
1k views
Why doesn't SpaceX plan on doing something new on IFT-6?
The profile for IFT-6 is expected to be similar to that IFT-5, and I don't see any significant changes announced anywhere. This is strange for SpaceX, which usually makes significant changes between ...
- 7,248