Space launch ring

[ua_vt_ae]

Check out this concept for launching satellites and/or projectiles:<br /><br />http://www.newscientistspace.com/article/dn10180<br /><br />I think it's feasible but there are certainly issues with high g loads and heating.

 

[qso1]

Biggest new development I've seen in mag rail launch concepts and certainly one that would be useful. The payloads will be selected and designed with the thermal and accelleration load issues in mind. The ring actually allows time for the payload to be accellerated to the maximum "G" load according to the article. The previous straight line designs involved shorter rails which in turn would involve rapid accelleration and "G" loading. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong>My borrowed quote for the time being:</strong></p><p><em>There are three kinds of people in life. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen...and those who do not know what happened.</em></p> </div>

 

[spacester]

Copy that.<br /><br />I've waited for YEARS for someone to propose a rail-launch method that even begins to address the serious engineering issues, and this is the first one to come along.<br /><br />But why didn't I think of it? <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[qso1]

Don't feel too bad, I didn't think of it either. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong>My borrowed quote for the time being:</strong></p><p><em>There are three kinds of people in life. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen...and those who do not know what happened.</em></p> </div>

 

[j05h]

> I've waited for YEARS for someone to propose a rail-launch method that even begins to address the serious engineering issues, and this is the first one to come along.<br /><br /><br />Foster-Miller was workign on this about 8 years ago - I saw a presentation at the Boston NSS meeting about it. They wanted to set up a multi-mile wide maglev track out in the desert for testing. <br /><br />The big killer on this is the 2000G acceleration as the payload hits the side track (launch rail). <br /><br />Josh <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div align="center"><em>We need a first generation of pioneers.</em><br /></div> </div>

 

[henryhallam]

They state 2000g loading but I make it 10000g just for the centripetal acceleration, never mind the tilt to 30 degrees.<br /><br />Electronics can certainly be made to survive such forces but it means structures like antennae etc will need to be quite a bit heavier to support their inertia during launch.<br />Fine for water and propellant though... (food might get a bit squashed!)

 

[spacester]

<font color="yellow">food might get a bit squashed! </font><br /><br />If the paradigm for 'space food' shifts away from prepared meals to commodities such as flour, oatmeal, dried fruits, etc., then that problem would likely become moot. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[rocketman5000]

>They state 2000g loading but I make it 10000g just for the centripetal acceleration, never mind the tilt to 30 degrees<br /><br />I agree with your calculations. but it says it would have to withstand more than 2000g's. It never says what the actual g load is. Quite deceiving...

 

[publiusr]

"We think an HLLV is too big"<br /><br />So you would build...?<br /><br />"An immense race track launch complex"<br /><br />But an HLLV is a simple tube on a simple pad..<br /><br />"Yeah--but that's too expensive"<br /><br />Sigh.

 

[qso1]

The advantage to a maglev ring is the fact its not thrown away after each use. The disadvantage of course is new technology development costs. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong>My borrowed quote for the time being:</strong></p><p><em>There are three kinds of people in life. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen...and those who do not know what happened.</em></p> </div>