"The second reason was it had to be on the east coast, over the ocean, so you wouldn't fly over people that might get killed as stuff dropped off or blew up"
Vandenberg AFB is on the California coast, 70 miles northwest of Santa Barbara, which is likewise roughly 90 miles northwest of Los Angeles.
Here's a map. [Note: The City of Santa Barbara does not actually appear on this map, but it would be slightly below the lower right corner if it were depicted. Hearst Castle in San Simeon would be slightly above the northwest corner of the coastline indicated, for reference.]
I did, in fact, know where it was - it just seems an odd place to launch from, though. If you have to launch west over the Pacific, you're losing the free boost you'd get from an easterly launch from Cape Canaveral.
Private Rocket Successfully Puts Satellite In Orbit for the First Time
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But why Florida?
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Fark
"The second reason was it had to be on the east coast, over the ocean, so you wouldn't fly over people that might get killed as stuff dropped off or blew up"
ReplyDeleteAnd Vandenburgh AFB is where, exactly?
Vandenberg AFB is on the California coast, 70 miles northwest of Santa Barbara, which is likewise roughly 90 miles northwest of Los Angeles.
ReplyDeleteHere's a map. [Note: The City of Santa Barbara does not actually appear on this map, but it would be slightly below the lower right corner if it were depicted. Hearst Castle in San Simeon would be slightly above the northwest corner of the coastline indicated, for reference.]
And here's their visitor information site.
I did, in fact, know where it was - it just seems an odd place to launch from, though.
ReplyDeleteIf you have to launch west over the Pacific, you're losing the free boost you'd get from an easterly launch from Cape Canaveral.