ABSTRACT
The concept of a perfect rocket (question 6) could not be applied to lifting rockets from the surface of the Earth into space since this requires the high power which is available from chemical fuels. However the ability of the conventional rocket to reach escape velocity from the surface of a planet can be improved by the following technique. Instead of launching the rocket vertically, it is launched horizontally along a low friction track. Once it has acquired a sizeable horizontal speed the rocket is steered to the vertical by curving the track.
