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
Rockets don’t go straight up, they go slightly diagonal at first and then when the air thins out they start going perpendicular to try and fall past the Earth aka get into orbit. The ISS and satellites are really just falling, but they are going so far sideways they keep missing the ground/Earth.
The air is what keeps airplanes aloft and air is needed for engines to work. At a certain point there becomes too little air for lift and to burn fuel.
Ignore where this image came from (a flat earth site), but this is the [flight path a rocket takes to get into space](http://fenewsnet.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Flat-Earth-Rocket-Curve-Not_Hit_Dome.jpg)
They normally fly East because it is easier to follow Earth’s rotation and it gives them a speed boost to get to orbital speed.
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