If a spacecraft is launched from a site near Earth’s equator, it can take optimum advantage of the Earth’s substantial rotational speed. Sitting on the launch pad near the equator, it is already moving at a speed of over 1650 km per hour relative to Earth’s center. This can be applied to the speed required to orbit the Earth (approximately 28,000 km per hour).
Getting into orbit doesn’t just require overcoming the force of gravity pulling down. In order to stay up, you basically have to put yourself on a path that allows you to go around the Earth faster (or as fast as) you fall back towards it. When your movement around the Earth is balanced with the rate that you’re falling, you are in orbit. This means you have to go really fucking fast, not just up but sideways.
Kind of off topic. But people who came up with superheros and such who fly. You always see them going out at an angle and going in at an angle. Do you think they did this much studying or is it just coincidence?
I think it has more to do with representation of the character in visual media (comic books, television, movies). Showing the character from the side is better than showing just their feet. Also, flying sideways is visually distinct from simply jumping upward, which is important when you’re trying to show the action in the context of two or three comic frames.
Also, that’s how Superman took off, so that’s how a lot of superheroes designed after him took off.
The Tyranny of the Rocket Equation
And, if your curiosity goes beyond that basic explanation, check out this NASA page on rocket launches:
Chapter 14: Launch
Getting into orbit doesn’t just require overcoming the force of gravity pulling down. In order to stay up, you basically have to put yourself on a path that allows you to go around the Earth faster (or as fast as) you fall back towards it. When your movement around the Earth is balanced with the rate that you’re falling, you are in orbit. This means you have to go really fucking fast, not just up but sideways.
Kind of off topic. But people who came up with superheros and such who fly. You always see them going out at an angle and going in at an angle. Do you think they did this much studying or is it just coincidence?
I think it has more to do with representation of the character in visual media (comic books, television, movies). Showing the character from the side is better than showing just their feet. Also, flying sideways is visually distinct from simply jumping upward, which is important when you’re trying to show the action in the context of two or three comic frames.
Also, that’s how Superman took off, so that’s how a lot of superheroes designed after him took off.