Why Rockets Don’t Fly Straight Up

Why don’t rockets fly straight up? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Chuck Nice explain the curious flight paths of rockets, how they get into orbit, and the Brachistochrone problem. What are the major differences between airplanes and rockets? We discuss rocket fuel, hydrogen fuel, and when rockets execute the roll program. Learn about how rockets get into orbit and how it looks like the Bernoulli brother’s Brachistochrone problem. Get the NEW StarTalk book, ’To Infinity and Beyond: A Journey of Cosmic Discovery’ on Amazon: Support us on Patreon: FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE to StarTalk: Twitter: Facebook: Instagram: About StarTalk: Science meets pop culture on StarTalk! Astrophysicist & Hayden Planetarium director Neil deGrasse Tyson, his comic co-hosts, guest celebrities & scientists discuss astronomy, physics, and everything else about life in the universe. Keep Looking Up! #StarTalk #neildegrassetyson Timestamps: 00:00 - Rockets v. Airplanes 3:15 - Executing the Roll Program 5:42 - How Rockets Get Into Orbit 7:05 - The Brachistochrone Problem