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?
Negative, orbit is going sideways fast above atmo. The reason you don't start going horizontal is due to air friction losses - get above the densest air then start slowly turning over.
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
Negative, orbit is going sideways fast above atmo. The reason you don't start going horizontal is due to air friction losses - get above the densest air then start slowly turning over.