it will already be experiencing air drag unless they launch from a vacuum (which is how spinlaunch does the thing). the article doesn't really say, but I'm gue

it will already be experiencing air drag unless they launch from a vacuum (which is how spinlaunch does the thing). the article doesn't really say, but I'm guessing this lets them use a rocket motor that would perform well after that initial acceleration but would struggle with producing that acceleration on its own.