00:00For that a rocket would have to launch south from Louisiana. And you might have
00:06already seen it on the map, in that direction across the Gulf lies Mexico. So
00:11a polar launch trajectory would head right over Mexican territory with
00:16falling rocket stages dropping overpopulated land. You just don't do
00:21that. Even though Starship wouldn't drop any stages but recover them, it would
00:26still pose a significant risk to Mexico. That's precisely why to this day the
00:30Americans fly their polar missions out of Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
00:36Over the open Pacific, Louisiana won't change that. And even to the east, the path
00:43isn't clear because the Florida Peninsula is in the way there. So a flight path
00:48would have to thread its way in a southeastern arc between Florida and Cuba,
00:53much like one from Boca Chica.
Comments