Okay, always wondered. Seems like that first go is a massive energy waste.
Wouldn't it be a better idea to get it moving on wheels and take off like an airplane.... and hit the mega thrusters once you already had some inertia?
Actually, most of the energy going into space is for going sideways. It's not that hard to go straight up into space, but you will fall right back down unless you are going fast enough to always fall beyond the horizon.
Okay, always wondered. Seems like that first go is a massive energy waste.
Wouldn't it be a better idea to get it moving on wheels and take off like an airplane.... and hit the mega thrusters once you already had some inertia?
Not when you're trying to get into space... all energy must be going up rather than sideways
Actually, most of the energy going into space is for going sideways. It's not that hard to go straight up into space, but you will fall right back down unless you are going fast enough to always fall beyond the horizon.