rocket launching

A rocket launch is the first phase of the flight of a rocket. For orbital spaceflights, or for launches into interplanetary space, rockets are launched from a launch pad, which is usually a fixed location on the ground but may also be on a floating platform such as the San Marco platform, or the Sea Launch launch vessel.

Launches of suborbital flights (including missile launches), can also be from:
a missile silo
a mobile launcher vehicle
a submarine
air launch:
from a plane (e.g. Scaled Composites SpaceShipOne, Skybolt Ballistic Missile, X-15)
from a balloon (Rockoon, da Vinci Project (under development))
a surface ship (Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System)

Launches not into space can also be from:
the shoulder

"Rocket launch technologies" generally refers to the entire set of systems needed to successfully launch a vehicle, not just the vehicle itself, but also the firing control systems, ground control station, launch pad, and tracking stations needed for a successful launch and/or recovery.

When launching a spacecraft to orbit, a "dogleg" is a guided, powered turn during ascent phase that causes a rocket's flight path to deviate from a "straight" path. A dogleg is necessary if the desired launch azimuth, to reach a desired orbital inclination, would take the ground track over land (or over a populated area, e.g. Russia usually does launch over land, but over unpopulated areas). Doglegs are undesirable due to extra onboard fuel required, causing heavier load, and a reduction of vehicle performance.Contents [hide]
1 Commercial launches
2 Viewing rocket launches
3 Launch vehicles
4 See also
5 External links


[edit]
Commercial launches

Commercial launch service providers include:
Boeing Launch Services Inc. (BLS) - Delta rocket
Sea Launch - Zenit-3SL (Zenit rocket stages 1 and 2 with Energia Block DM-SL upper stage)
EADS SPACE Transportation / Arianespace - Ariane rocket
International Launch Services (ILS) [1] - Proton rocket
United Launch Alliance (ULA) - Delta IV And Atlas V
Starsem - Soyuz launch vehicle
ISRO - PSLV,GSLV