Where does this come from, and can I check it?

Launching towards the east adds the planet's own rotational speed to the rocket. The figure is taken from NASA Science, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.

Is this really a space fact?

Yes. It sits on the Space shelf, one of 2,600 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.

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The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.

Mondo Knows Facts

Earth's spin gives eastward launches a free boost

Launching towards the east adds the planet's own rotational speed to the rocket At Cape Canaveral the ground moves east at roughly 410 metres per second, while the equator turns at about 465. A rocket launched eastward inherits that motion, which saves propellant for reaching orbit. That is also why Europe flies from French Guiana, close to the equator, and why polar launches gain almost nothing. It sits in Mondo's space collection, one of 200 facts that each trace back to the reference below.

Where this comes from

NASA Science

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Tags: launch, rotation, orbits

Earth's spin gives eastward launches a free boost: the short answers

Where does this come from, and can I check it?: Launching towards the east adds the planet's own rotational speed to the rocket. The figure is taken from NASA Science, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.
Is this really a space fact?: Yes. It sits on the Space shelf, one of 2,600 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.
What else can I read about it?: The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.