Why is it a rocket🚀 is used to go straight up into outer space and not just use an airplane ✈️ ? I’m sure there is a good reason but it seems that the gradual assent would be preferred over the straight up approach.
In: Engineering
Less fuel is used going straight up. Planes can reach outer space if their engine doesn’t rely on air (i.e. a rocket motor). The X-15 was able to reach space, albeit briefly.
But it’s not just reaching space, it’s also reaching orbit, and for that you need two things, speed and altitude. Going straight up initially then pitching over is the most fuel efficient way of getting large payloads into orbit.
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