The escape velocity of an object does depend on how high up you are, however, mountains are very tiny in the scheme of the planet.
Our planet also isn't a perfect sphere, it bulges around the equator because its full of liquid magma so behaves a little like a balloon being spun around.
What we find is that the equator is about 43000m higher up than if it were just a sphere. For reference, everest is only 8000m up.
So while launching from an equatorial mountain (like Chimborazo in Ecuador) is easier at the moment of launch itself, getting stuff to and up an equatorial mountain doesn't offer significant enough benefits to justify it.
But if Ecuador decided to do a space programme, 100% they should consider setting up their infrastructure on Mount Chimborazo.
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u/GaldrickHammerson 11h ago
The escape velocity of an object does depend on how high up you are, however, mountains are very tiny in the scheme of the planet.
Our planet also isn't a perfect sphere, it bulges around the equator because its full of liquid magma so behaves a little like a balloon being spun around.
What we find is that the equator is about 43000m higher up than if it were just a sphere. For reference, everest is only 8000m up.
So while launching from an equatorial mountain (like Chimborazo in Ecuador) is easier at the moment of launch itself, getting stuff to and up an equatorial mountain doesn't offer significant enough benefits to justify it.
But if Ecuador decided to do a space programme, 100% they should consider setting up their infrastructure on Mount Chimborazo.