Launching rockets near the equator is a common practice among space agencies worldwide, including NASA, SpaceX, and the Chinese Space Agency. This location provides several benefits, such as increased speed and reduced fuel consumption. The proximity to the ocean ensures that if a rocket fails shortly after launch, it can safely crash into an unpopulated area like the ocean. The latitude of the spaceport also plays a crucial role in rocket launches, with most spaceports sharing similar latitudes near the equator.
The Earth rotates at high speeds near the equator, providing rockets with a speed boost that makes it easier to reach orbit. Launching near the equator significantly reduces the amount of fuel required to get a rocket to space, ultimately increasing its payload capacity. While there are exceptions to this rule, such as spaceports located further north that serve specific orbit types, launching near the equator remains a common practice among space agencies worldwide.
ESA’s upcoming launch of the Ariane 6 rocket from the Guiana Space Center will take advantage of the equatorial location to minimize fuel consumption and maximize payload capacity. Russian Soyuz spacecraft have also shown that launching from the equator results in carrying significantly more cargo than those launched from higher latitudes. Overall, launching rockets near the equator is a strategic decision that allows space agencies to optimize their missions and achieve efficient access to space.
One key requirement for a launch site is proximity to an unpopulated area like an ocean or sea so that if there is any failure in rocket launches it can safely crash into it without causing harm to people or infrastructure on land.
In addition to proximity to an unpopulated area like an ocean or sea, another requirement for a launch site is proximity to an ocean. This ensures that if there is any failure in rocket launches it can safely crash into it without causing harm to people or infrastructure on land.
Spaceports located near the equator benefit from Earth’s rotation which provides them with a speed boost that makes it easier for rockets to reach orbit. This significantly reduces fuel consumption and increases payload capacity.
Launched at high speeds near the earth’s rotation line (equator), these rockets require less fuel and thus have higher payload capacities compared with those launched from higher latitudes.
ESA’s upcoming launch of Ariane 6 will take advantage of this concept by minimizing fuel consumption while maximizing payload capacity by using an equatorial location for its launch site.
NASA has been using this strategy since its early days when they launched their first satellite Explorer 1 in 1957 at Cape Canaveral which was just off Florida’s east coast near Miami Beach which put them in direct line with earth’s rotation helping them reach orbit faster than expected.