Suppose a Rocket Is Fired Vertically Upward from the Surface $\times$

Multiple Choice

Suppose a rocket is fired vertically upward from the surface of Earth with one-half of the escape speed.How far from the center of Earth will it reach before it begins to fall back? (Let g = 9.8 m/s² and R_E = 6370 km.)

A) 1.3 $\times$ 10⁴ km
B) 8.5 $\times$ 10³ km
C) 9.6 $\times$ 10³ km
D) 2.6 $\times$ 10⁴ km
E) 1.9 $\times$ 10⁴ km