In article ,
says...

On 2018-05-06 15:19, Scott M. Kozel wrote:

So did they launch it to the south or to the west? Going west they
would incur a big energy penalty due to the rotation of the Earth.


Could they launch straight up, and once above some safe altitude, then
veer east?

There is no "safe altitude" to do something as bone headed as this.

After having flown for X seconds, aren't the odds of an
explosion way down and thus considered safe to fly over land?

No. Failures could happen at any time (e.g. engine failure).

or is the eastward speed from earth's rotation lost as you ascend
straight up (lost to atmospheric drag) ?

Ugh.

Just read the press kit:

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/press_...sight/mission/
#launch_sequences

Jeff
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