Most rockets are launched from spaceports located near the equator to take advantage of the Earth’s gravity, which helps increase speed and reduces fuel consumption. Whether it’s a NASA, SpaceX, or Chinese Space Agency launch, you’ll notice similarities in the location and shape of the rockets. This is because the primary objective is to ensure the safety of people and minimize effort needed to reach space.
When it comes to selecting a launch site, being near the ocean is crucial. This ensures that if a rocket fails, it can crash into a deserted ocean rather than a populated area. The latitude of the spaceport also plays a significant role in rocket launches. Spaceports like Kennedy Space Center, Starbase, Wenchang Space Launch Site, and Guiana facility share latitudes close to the equator, where Earth’s rotation speed is higher. This rotation speed provides a significant speed boost to rockets launched near the equator.
Launching closer to the equator allows rockets to start flying at a higher speed, reducing the amount of fuel needed to reach orbit. This, in turn, increases payload capacity. However, there are exceptions to this rule, particularly for polar orbits that require different launch locations. While the equator offers advantages for many orbits, not all orbits benefit from launching near the equator.