system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: When launching a rocket into space, why is leaving the atmosphere at an angle more convenient than going straight up the entire way?

It seems that all rockets go straight and then readjust to leave the atmosphere at a 45° angle. Is it a better maneuver to escape Earth's gravity?
gpt
Because getting into space is less than half the battle. If you go straight up 100,000 miles, you will still come back down, even if it takes a while. Gravity doesn't magically disappear when you get up far enough, there is still gravity on the ISS. What they are doing is essentially "falling" at an angle which makes them constantly miss Earth on their fall. In order to get into orbit, you must be going fast enough that, as you fall, you keep missing the planet below.