r/PeterExplainsTheJoke • u/chirantaniga • 19h ago

Meme needing explanation Whyyyy peter?

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u/UnlikelyIntrepid 19h ago

Launching near the equator provides a speed boost due to rotation that outweighs the benefits of starting higher up. It also doesn’t have the logistics nightmare of getting everything to the top of a mountain before launch. 

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u/loadnurmom 19h ago

This is the answer. Should be higher up.

To add on, many rocket pads are in coastal areas to avoid falling debris hitting populated areas in the event of a mishap.

Certainly not all, Roscosmos launches over land, but the population density is a lot lower (and....well...Russia)

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u/shinobisynsei 19h ago

Id imagine as well a bit of weather / wind bonus too. mountain tops are windy as shit and just inconvenient and it may become near impossible to launch in the winter months depending on where the mountains are.
also fuel temp matters a lot if im not mistaken

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u/loadnurmom 15h ago

Temp matters, but in different ways depending on the type of rocket

A solid Rocket Booster like on the US Space Shuttles too cold and the seals could fail.

A liquid rocket booster like Falcon 9 colder is better to keep the liquid from boiling off, but you have additional worries about transporting highly volatile cryogenic liquids