What is the countdown term for the moment a rocket leaves the pad?
AnswerLiftoff
Liftoff is when the rocket clears the launch pad.
Science · Facts & stats
Launch facts & stats
7 fact-checked facts about rocket launches, launch pads and spaceflight history, each with the reason behind it. 5 more are in today's round and join this page after it closes.
The basics
Which US state is home to the Kennedy Space Center?
AnswerFlorida
Kennedy Space Center sits on Merritt Island, Florida.
Going deeper
Who was the first human to travel into space?
AnswerYuri Gagarin
Yuri Gagarin orbited Earth aboard Vostok 1 in April 1961.
Why do many launch sites sit close to the equator?
AnswerEarth's rotation gives rockets extra eastward speed
Earth spins fastest at the equator, giving an eastward launch a free speed boost.
Where is the Baikonur Cosmodrome located?
AnswerKazakhstan
Baikonur is in Kazakhstan and is leased by Russia.
Expert level
Who launched the first liquid-fueled rocket in 1926?
AnswerRobert Goddard
Robert Goddard flew the first liquid-fueled rocket in Auburn, Massachusetts, in 1926.
What was Explorer 1's major scientific discovery?
AnswerThe Van Allen radiation belts
Explorer 1 data revealed the Van Allen radiation belts around Earth.
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