Space Part 1 -- Why does NASA launch spacecraft toward the East?

Since this is your homework, what do you think?

 

Go on...

 

As Dave said, follow this train of thought. HOW does it save fuel?

 

What is the shuttles destination though? Not other places on earth. So...

 

As you suggested in post #3, it's to do with the way the earth rotates.
When launching an object into space, what is the main challenge?
If you are on a train going at 90kph and throw a stone forwards at 30kph relative to you, how fast is the stone going?

 

Yes. But before they head off into the outer solar system, where do they go? Where do ALL vessels launched from Earth go first?

 

To orbit.

 

And what do you need a lot of in order to stay in orbit?

 

Wouldn't gravity would do the opposite of keeping them in orbit?

What keeps them up there despite gravity?

 

What is free fall? What is counteracting gravity?

Look at haruspex' post #9 for a hint.