Point Reconsidered.

[Brian D. McCary]

> 
> I suggest you reconsider the last statement, since the rotation of the 
> earth will not have a large effect on the rocket the way you defined 
> it... Unlesss of course you meant that a) the effect will be due to the 
> Coriolis force b) an effect because the rocket will "sample" different 
> rotational velocities as it climps up the atmosphere (wher on the other 
> hand the gas is rarefied and therefore things get more complicated... Do 
> you want to clarify what you meant?
> 
> basil

Point reconsidered.  I was thinking about shifting points of referance:
that if London is moving toward the lauch site (at a speed of around 700 
miles per hour) then in 18 minutes, which is what I recall the flight
time was for the opening launch, London will have moved 200 miles east.
Essentially, an observer in London will see the rocket leave the ground
in the east and fly toward them, whereas an observer in space, but 
referanced to the earth's center of mass will see the rocket go up, and 
straight down while London moves under it.  A space observer referanced to
the sun will see the rocket travel some 3000 miles in the same 18 minutes,
almost in a straight line.  However, Basil is correct: all three shapes will
be well approximated by parabolas, although of very differant shapes.  I
don't expect the atmosphere to have a large effect, although it will have
some effect.  

Brian McCary