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marcel_leonard
Guest
We are currently stuck on 2000 year old conventional liquid/solid fuel rocket boosters to presently launch materials into space. But when we begin mining the Moon, Mars, and the asteroids, where we will not have a source of fuel for conventional rockets, we shall need a more effective way. Electromagnetic lauchers may be the answer. A small prototype of Maglev, and the electromagnetic rail gun, can presently accelerate a projectile from rest to a speed of 10 km/s (2000 mi/h).<br /><br />When I calculate the mass of the Earth (5.98e24), the radius @ (6.37e6); I get [v=(2GM/r)^1/2], or 1.37e8 m/s=ans.<br /><br />But most books will tell you that Escape Velocity for the Earth is 40200 km/s, or about 1.11e4 m/s; which equal to about 25000 mi/h. So, an object which has this velocity at the surface of the earth, will totally escape the earth's gravitational field (ignoring the losses due to the atmosphere.) It is all there is to it.<br /><br />I believe we can achieve these speed if we combine a few existing technologies [ie. ScramJat/ AeroSpike/ Maglev launch rail.] <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "A mind is a terrible thing to waste..." </div>