Dog-Leg Manoeuvre

A dog-leg manoeuvre is a deliberate change in a rocket's flight azimuth during ascent. Normally, a rocket launches on a straight ground track determined by the desired inclination. A dog-leg adds a turn partway through the flight to avoid overflying prohibited zones (populated areas, foreign territory) while still achieving the target inclination. This costs performance — the yaw turn wastes energy fighting sideways, reducing payload capacity. Cape Canaveral launches sometimes require dog-legs for certain inclinations to avoid overflying the Bahamas or other Caribbean islands. South Korea's Naro Space Center requires significant dog-legs to avoid overflying Japan.