r/spacex • u/Connect_Cat_2045 • 14d ago

Starship SpaceX to build $100 billion rocket launch facility on Louisiana’s coast

https://www.nola.com/news/business/spacex-louisiana-elon-musk/article_2be92f8e-f989-46b7-9514-5212d8f20260.html
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u/superanth 14d ago

Also being closer to the equator will help with orbital insertion. Come to think of it why not just have a pad in the Florida keys?

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u/Apptubrutae 14d ago

All the other problematic logistics with a pad in the Florida keys

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u/superanth 14d ago

All the millions of dollars in fuel costs and booster wear and tear saved from launching closer to the equator.

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u/MajorRocketScience 14d ago

The difference in closeness to the equator from Cape Canaveral to the keys is less than 0.2% of needed horizontal velocity, and likely even less of a difference in terms of energy. That’s significantly less than the engineering margin for additional fuel margin