Why do rockets launch in an arc, and not just go straight up?

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Why do rockets launch in an arc, and not just go straight up?

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Anonymous 0 Comments

Because it is energetically beneficial. If you launch straight up, you have to overcome gravity to avoid falling back down all the time. If you launch up and keep tilting sideways, you’ll still fall back down but eventually be fast enough sideways to miss earth all the time. This is called orbit.

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