36. How much will our speed vary? (A K2S Question)

From The Space Library

Well, if we launch from Cape Canaveral in Florida we will already be going about 900 mph relative to the polar axis of the Earth, in an easterly direction, due to the rotation of the Earth. Then by the time we get to orbital speed we will be going about 17,400 mph. Then we might accelerate to, say, 30,000 mph for the transit to another planet or some deep space body. While en route we might make some course corrections of a few miles per hour.

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Answer provided by Jon H. Brown

Question and Answer extracted from the book Kids to Space - by Lonnie Schorer

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