and nice views of the SoCal coast and Channel Islands
(What? Give the booster a treat and a pat on the head? *heh*)
Stuff That’s Hard to Do (Falcon9 Starlink from a non-foggy! Vandenberg)
and nice views of the SoCal coast and Channel Islands
and nice views of the SoCal coast and Channel Islands
how about a launch with no rocket fuel. Heinlein rides again.
https://www.spinlaunch.com/
or
https://notthebee.com/article/try-not-to-hurl-watching-this-footage-of-a-kinetic-launch-system-literally-spinning-a-rocket-into-space-using-no-fuel
^HFS! 5000 mph in an enclosed building!
I think I’d like to be in the next county when that spins up.
I wonder how many cycles they can get out of a booster before it becomes uneconomical to repair/prep for another launch?
They make it look easy because… They AREN’T NASA. They do it for profit, and end up doing it faster-better-cheaper!
Spinlaunch is an okay concept, but… not enough energy to get it to get any appreciable payload to orbit. Can’t violate physics!
jlw ^1
You mean like a super trebuchet?
Kinky, but I’d hate to have to design payloads for it
dick ^3
Well today’s was its 10th mission, and a couple of boosters had 13, I think.
Yeah, that is the big question, innit?
^5 DougM, more like Heinlein’s catapult in “The Moon is a Harsh Mistress”. not yet as advanced, but in the early stages.
also, the space elevator is being developed. i recently saw a documentary. i think graphene is being used for the cable.