Why did they choose FL to launch the NASA space vehicles?

[napi21]

I'm watching Lou Dobbs tonight, and Kitty Pilgrim is filling in for Lou. They just did a bit on the dangers of the launch, and a BIG problem is BIRDS!!!! Turkey buzzards apparently are very prevalent in that area, and they showed a couple of clips of past launches where 6 to 12 birds were in the path of the shuttle upon launch. I know birds, especially big ones, are a problem for aircraft too. Sucked into a jet engin can down the plane!

If birds are a problem in that area, why did NASA choose Cape Canaveral as it's lanuch site? Why not some other coatal site on the east coast?

[Threedifferentones]

1. Shuttles use rockets not jets and

Im sure they are strong enough to survive an impact with a bird.

[napi21]

7. I didn't mean to insinuate that the birds could be sucked in! This concer

about a problem with the birds isn't MY idea, it was stated on Lou's show by a NASA engineer who said he and other engineers recommended delaying the launch. One of the problems, but for sure not the only one, was these big birds...Turkey Buzzards.

All I'm asking is why did NASA choose Cape Canaveral instead of somewhere else?

[corbett]

14. I Live Nearby - Turkey Buzzards Are A Protected Native Species (more)

In my humble opinion, foam problems are a far greater concern. We must remember that the shuttle's solid rocket boosters emit an emormous amount of noise. The kinetic energy emitted by burning all of that liquid hydrogen is so great that, if converted to electricity, would like the eastern seaboard for a month.

As for the overall choice of using Brevard County Florida for a launch, it remains one of the most viable within American territory because it has convenient access by air and road for various governmental officials who visit and, of course, thousands of miles of ocean downrange in case the crew needs to ditch or a catastrophic malfunction causes a crash.

[ret5hd]

2. well, in a rocket launch, there's nothing for them to be sucked into...

just sayin'.

[maxsolomon]

3. why not in the desert SW?

there are a lot of launches scrubbed because of weather in FLA.

i think it has something to do with the winter temperature averages.

[Rosco T.]

4. Two big reasons...

1) it's the farthest south point of US land, thereby nearer the equator for proper orbital insertion.

2) there's this thing called the ATLANTIC OCEAN kinda east of there... and since (for orbital insertion) they launch EAST that means the bird goes OVER THE OCEAN.. so if something goes wrong... pieces fall in the WATER instead of LAND.

[napi21]

10. Thanks. I simply have never heard the reason why, but your explaination

is logical. I didn't realize the equator mad a difference, but then I'm not a scientist or engineer. Thanks!

[Ian David]

5. Closer to equator is better. The Earth is fatter and spins faster there...

Less fuel to get to a higher orbit that way.

Also, water on both sides means more places to ditch in the ocean.

That, and it's close to where Major Nelson found Jeanie.

[benburch]

6. Easy.

Large over-water down-range area in case of accident. MUCH safer for bystanders.

[tridim]

8. Rockets get more centrifugal boost the closer they are to the equator

That's the main reason.

It's just like a kid flying off a playground merry-go-round that's going too fast.

[GreenCommie]

9. Other factors

The main reason being they can send rockets over water in the right direction. Sending the rockets eastward instead of westward allows the rotation of the Earth to generate some of the escape velocity needed, and the rockets fly over water so the boosters, etc. are less likely to cause damage when they fall to earth.

They use southern California when they want polar orbits.

[Greyskye]

11. Reasons

It is more efficient to reach orbit the closer to the equator that you are.

The rotational speed of the Earth is highest at the equator, which provides an extra launch "boost". Also, the amount of orbital correction required to achieve a geostationary inclination is reduced, the closer to the equator that you are.

[magellan]

12. I think it's weather and location

Mind, dangerous weather in FL is a minus -- horrifying t-storms and hurricanes. But most of the time it's clear sailing, and rarely do they see freezing temps out on the Cape, which would be a more frequent problem further up the east coast.

Location is probably the major factor though. Note the trajectory is always to the East; the reuseable booster rockets fall into the Atlantic. Launch is also the most dangerous part of any flight, I believe. You don't want shuttles breaking up over, or booster rockets crashing into, inhabited areas.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

13. Angle of inclination equals degree latitude.

More or less.

An orbit of a satellite, or vehicle, or whatever, usually does not orbit exactly over the equator. They orbit at an angle inclined to the equator. This angle is usually equal to the latitude of the launch site. So if you want to have an orbit that is somewhat "close" to the equator, you want to have a low latitude launch site.

Even Jules Verne predicted this.

[madokie]

15. because florida is the best place location wise we have.

[Spider Jerusalem]

16. Except for Hawaii, that is...

which lies six degrees further south than Florida (but the logistics involved make Hawaii a pretty undesirable place to site a launch facility).

[madokie]

17. you're right