The Space Catapult That Could Topple SpaceX
Musk should be worried about Spinlaunch’s upcoming launch vehicle
Right now, SpaceX is the undisputed king of space. Their rockets can carry more for less and soon could even take us to Mars. Musk looks set to have yet another monopoly on his hands. But Spinlaunch has come up with a novel launch system that propels crafts into space, significantly undercut SpaceX in price and use carbon-neutral fuel! Their solution? A giant catapult the size of the Statue of Liberty. No, seriously, it sounds insane, but this technology could dethrone SpaceX.
So how does a giant space catapult (also known as a kinetic launcher) work? Well, it is a combination of a vacuum chamber, high-speed centrifuge and high-speed airlocks.
Firstly, the projectile which contains the payload is attached to the end of the giant centrifuge, with arms just shy of 150ft long. This centrifuge is within a massive vacuum chamber. This reduces air friction allowing the centrifuge to hit mind-bending speeds. The centrifuge spins up until the projectile is travelling at around 5,000 mph! Then, with precise timing, the projectile is released and travels down the exit tube. A high-speed airlock at the end of the exit tube allows the projectile to exit without compromising the vacuum chamber. The projectile then leaves…
