SpinLaunch
 

I had never heard of this before now.
I wonder if it could be used for launching a human? (it doesn't seem possible)

https://techcrunch.com/2021/11/09/spinlaunch-completes-first-prototype-flight-using-kinetic-launch-system/

I suspect that might be a bit much stress for humans.

It would surely make satellite launches less expensive.

Some of the first Science Fiction stories had man going to the moon, launched from a canon.

If the energy needed to slingshot or "spin" it into orbit is less than using a rocket, lots of thinks can be put in orbit. It will still take a lot of energy to get it spinning fast enough to be orbital.

Ahh! This explains it better. I wasn't picturing that type of launch.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JAczd3mt3X0" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The video helped..thanks.

Sure doesn't seem feasible. Could this possibly be scaled up enough to launch a craft like the James Webb telescope, a Volkswagen sized rover?

For people? Yeah. No.
Here's a few numbers...

https://www.wired.com/story/hurling-satellites-into-space/

Yeah, roughly 1000 times what the human body can tolerate.

You would turn to mush before you ever got launched.

Just imagine the mess when there's an issue with the release and the projectile does not go out the exit.

:D a bit.

^^^ Yeah, if the timing on the release was wrong....could cost big bucks at that speed.

The spinner even has a tractor rain-cap on it.:)

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YB6Nw4MKE2g" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Didn’t David use one of those things on Goliath?

^^^ He was years ahead of his time!
He's the ceo of SpinLaunch now.

One more vid from youtube.....Almost like a science fiction movie!
And to think they could do a few each day would be amazing.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TGO4LtCctTk" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

He didn't specify alive.

Question, so this uses a counter weight so it doesn't get out of balance. What happens when it let the cargo loose? Counterbalance go away too, or does it stop real quick?

Every time I look at that thing all I can think of is this.

https://people.com/travel/worlds-most-dangerous-waterparks-grisly-secrets-revealed-in-new-documentary/

And yes, if you've seen the documentary and were not fortunate enough to be a teen in the area during its heyday every bit of it is true.

It's amazing more people didn't die but we loved it.

https://static.onecms.io/wp-content/...ark-2-2000.jpg

This vid addresses that question...(at about the 8 min. mark)

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JAczd3mt3X0" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

it was in the Cool Science Story Of The Day [Continuing Thread]

I like Spinlaunch. All sorts of interesting issues to overcome but seems feasible.

I can’t see this thing ever being able to launch anything with a significant payload. Not only are humans delicate but a lot of the crap that we launch into space is pretty delicate, too. I just don’t think the numbers will work.

Not only that, but we have 60+ years of success doing it the old-fashioned way, why change?

I hear "because we've always done it that way." is always the best reason to eschew change.

Test post

Is the forum broken?

Shows me as the only person on, member or guest and my new posts are not showing up.

^^^
That one did.

Yes, the forum is broken again.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-discussions/1106690-forum-broken-again.html#post11518472

All new posts in existing threads should work. New threads also work, but since the main page does not update, no one can see them. There are at least a couple of threads like the one that I linked above that have been posted. If you create a new thread and save the link, then you can continue to see the thread, and if you post it to some other thread, then other folks can see and respond.

I saw where they mention the issue, but not how they solved it. Maybe I am dense.

^^^ You got it....they talked about still needing to work on it.