I've known the fact that the nearer to the equator the site is, the better placed for launching. It's because they can use the earth's centrifugal force effectively. Therefore, every country has its launching site in its southernmost area. Additionally, several factors are required. There are no or few folks' houses around and the weather is stable.
You might wonder why not Okinawa. Okinawa is nearer to the equator than Tanegashima Island. The reason is simple. When the construction of the rocket launching facilities came on the table, Okinawa was still under the US's administration. Okinawa didn't even come into the options of the construction sites. Thanks to such history, Tanegashima Island is now called the closest island to space.
(Vocabulary)
centrifuge (専門) 遠心分離機
centrifugal force (専門) 遠心分離機
なぜ宇宙センターが種子島に？
安定した気候で、広い土地、周辺に民家の無い場所、赤道に近い方が打ち上げに優位なので日本最南端が選ばれた。沖縄があるじゃないかと思われた方もいるかもしれないが、種子島宇宙センターが作られたとき沖縄はアメリカの支配下にあったから候補地にはなり得なかった。お陰で種子島は宇宙に一番近い島と呼ばれている。
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