Why are space rockets shot straight up? Wouldn’t it be easier to make a spacecraft that ascends like regular aircraft until it’s out of the atmosphere?

Question

Why are space rockets shot straight up? Wouldn’t it be easier to make a spacecraft that ascends like regular aircraft until it’s out of the atmosphere?

In: Technology

Answer 1

There’s a similar concept called “[air-launch-to-orbit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air-launch-to-orbit)”. Basically, you carry your rocket in an airplane, and launch it high in the air.

So, why not use the same aircraft to exit the atmosphere? Well, as you go higher and higher, the atmosphere is less dense. This presents two problems: first, jet engines need to breath air to ignite fuel. And second, you would need bigger wings in order to provide the same lift, or you could go faster, but we’re talking *faster* faster.

Now, the space isn’t that far, we’re talking about 100 km or 62 miles. A rocket going straight up can enter low-orbit in a couple of minutes. For comparison, a Starlink launch can be over 100 km in three minutes, while the last Virgin ALTO spent 50 minutes between takeoff and rocket ignition.