Why is the launch pad in Florida?

America's launch pads are in Florida for two reasons.

The first reason is safety. It isn't safe to launch a rocket over land because falling debris could damage buildings or kill civilians. On some launch vehicles, such as the space shuttle, re-usable parts such as strap-on booster need to land in water because they would be destroyed if they impacted the ground.

The second reason has to do with physics. The Earth rotates eastward. As the Earth rotates, objects on Earth's surface actually travel at a very fast speed. At the equator (0 degrees latitude), objects rotate with the Earth at 1,035 miles per hour. As an object moves towards the poles, it rotates at a slower speed. At the Kennedy Space Center (28.5 degrees North latitude), objects rotate at about 911 mph. To reach orbit, a spacecraft has to reach 17,500 mph. If a spacecraft is launched eastward from Florida, it will already be traveling at 911 mph meaning it will need less fuel and have more payload capacity.