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submitted 1 month ago by fossilesque@mander.xyz to c/science_memes@mander.xyz

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[-] mercano@lemmy.world 128 points 1 month ago

Russian capsules launch from the Kazack steppe. In the event of a launch abort, like there was in October 2018, you need to have a capsule that can land on land.

American capsules launch from Florida and fly over the ocean. In the event of an abort, they need to be able to land at sea.

They both took their abort modes and just made it the standard way to land after a mission.

[-] victorz@lemmy.world 39 points 1 month ago

Sounds like the real reason right here. The sea landing surely is a lot easier and quicker to recover as well.

[-] Krzd@lemmy.world 18 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

It's also much easier to hit what you aim for
water -> water
Land -> oops, that's a tree, and that's a boulder, and that's a lake.
Although recovering the people is much easier on land, most of the time you can land a helicopter near the capsule, recovering the hardware is generally more difficult

[-] ferrule@sh.itjust.works 11 points 1 month ago

Also where they are taking off and landing in Russia is a big flat wasteland. It's the ocean of the land. There isn't a lot of empty space in the US unless you are either in the desert or in the places we grow corn and wheat. Less shit to crash into when it's water in the US.