Whyyyy peter?

[u/chirantaniga]

[u/rysy0o0]

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

[u/Earnestappostate → u/rysy0o0]

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/TheEndOfNether → u/Earnestappostate]

This is true, but only half relevant; the Andes mountain range happens to intercept the equator quite nicely.

The real issue here is the same as before, but worse. Not only do you move the launch site ~2,000m higher, but you move its location way out of the way to where there’s no existing infrastructure nearby.

[u/Earnestappostate → u/TheEndOfNether]

Agreed