3 ms·
I mean, sort of. That's less than 6% of the dv you need to get to LEO. If this thing can only add another 3k mph we're still at less than a quarter of the dv
by dtparr 9y ago
I mean, sort of. That's less than 6% of the dv you need to get to LEO. If this thing can only add another 3k mph we're still at less than a quarter of the dv needed to get to space today. It might make a reasonable 'first stage' if they can work though the tech needed to get to that 3k without destroying the payload, but it doesn't sounds like it's capable of anything resembling a complete 'launch system' for things wanting to go to space.
- JoeAltmaier 9y agoThey give only 'hypersonic speeds' as a metric. That's 4000-8000mph approximately. So not there yet. But don't knock a free 1000mph! Launching to the west means you have to add 1000mph to be standing still, orbit-wise.
- dtparr 9y agoThe article specifically says: >All that momentum is then harnessed to catapult a payload into space at speeds one source said could be around 3,000 miles per hour. So that's what I was working off of. Admittedly, it's unclear who that source is. And 8k is still less than half of LEO. And right, I'm familiar with orbital mechanics and would never turn down free dv, but you get ~90% of that even out of somewhere as far off the equator as CCAFS. The bigger benefit would be if you're looking to launch into a low inclination (equatorial) orbit you can avoid the dv required for the plane change, but that would work just as well out of CSG. The altitude itself would be the only advantage I could see over somewhere like CSG.