Spinlaunch

[Grumpmeister]

I've been seeing a lot about this over the last few days. A new system being developed for launching payloads of up to 200kg into space using a massive spinning arm mounted in a vacuum to throw the shell into orbit.

https://youtu.be/Z6esOcWrrEE

Now I could be mistaken here but watching the test launch this thing seems like a disaster waiting to happen. Assuming that you can guarantee releasing the payload at the precise second needed to launch it up the tube and not through the side of the chamber the footage of the rocket piercing the covering shows a massive amount of drift by the time the rocket has cleared the launcher. 

https://www.spinlaunch.com

[Barman]

I've been seeing a lot about this over the last few days. A new system being developed for launching payloads of up to 200kg into space using a massive spinning arm mounted in a vacuum to throw the shell into orbit.

https://youtu.be/Z6esOcWrrEE

Now I could be mistaken here but watching the test launch this thing seems like a disaster waiting to happen. Assuming that you can guarantee releasing the payload at the precise second needed to launch it up the tube and not through the side of the chamber the footage of the rocket piercing the covering shows a massive amount of drift by the time the rocket has cleared the launcher. 

https://www.spinlaunch.com

That has been coming up on my YouTube feed for days and I've avoided watching it until now! 

My first thought is, given the huge G forces involved in the spinamathingy, wouldn't it be simpler just to fire it out of a mahoosive gun? 

[Grumpmeister]

I've been seeing a lot about this over the last few days. A new system being developed for launching payloads of up to 200kg into space using a massive spinning arm mounted in a vacuum to throw the shell into orbit.

https://youtu.be/Z6esOcWrrEE

Now I could be mistaken here but watching the test launch this thing seems like a disaster waiting to happen. Assuming that you can guarantee releasing the payload at the precise second needed to launch it up the tube and not through the side of the chamber the footage of the rocket piercing the covering shows a massive amount of drift by the time the rocket has cleared the launcher. 

https://www.spinlaunch.com

That has been coming up on my YouTube feed for days and I've avoided watching it until now! 

My first thought is, given the huge G forces involved in the spinamathingy, wouldn't it be simpler just to fire it out of a mahoosive gun? 

Depends if they can perfect rail or coil gun technology I suppose. Pretty sure that a traditional style gun would deafen everyone in a 30 mile radius 

[Steve]

I've been seeing a lot about this over the last few days. A new system being developed for launching payloads of up to 200kg into space using a massive spinning arm mounted in a vacuum to throw the shell into orbit.

https://youtu.be/Z6esOcWrrEE

Now I could be mistaken here but watching the test launch this thing seems like a disaster waiting to happen. Assuming that you can guarantee releasing the payload at the precise second needed to launch it up the tube and not through the side of the chamber the footage of the rocket piercing the covering shows a massive amount of drift by the time the rocket has cleared the launcher. 

https://www.spinlaunch.com

That has been coming up on my YouTube feed for days and I've avoided watching it until now! 

My first thought is, given the huge G forces involved in the spinamathingy, wouldn't it be simpler just to fire it out of a mahoosive gun? 

That has a massive instantaneous G which isn't good for electronics.  Inside shells and bombs they have techniques for protecting small packages from the highest G but would be really difficult for a full satellite
 
So IF IF IF they can get the release point that precise this might just work

Worth a read https://spacenews.com/spinlaunch-conducts-first-test-of-suborbital-accelerator-at-spaceport-america/

[Grumpmeister]

Even if they can get the release point that precise you still have the effect of centrifugal force on the payload as it launches. Looking again at the test footage I'm guessing there is a 25-30degree drift between the point when the test payload first breaches the cover and it actually clears it. Now if that's at 20% of power then there is no guarantee it will clear the launch tube before hitting the side when used at full and if it somehow does the odds are it will be way off course by the time it hits orbit.

I'm also sceptical of how many launches per day they say they will be able to accomplish. On a full size installation, once you have replaced the cover and loaded the next payload then you would have to pump out the air from the unit which given the size would take at least a couple of hours to do safely each time and even then you are still putting a hell of a strain on the structure.


 

[Barman]

I've been seeing a lot about this over the last few days. A new system being developed for launching payloads of up to 200kg into space using a massive spinning arm mounted in a vacuum to throw the shell into orbit.

https://youtu.be/Z6esOcWrrEE

Now I could be mistaken here but watching the test launch this thing seems like a disaster waiting to happen. Assuming that you can guarantee releasing the payload at the precise second needed to launch it up the tube and not through the side of the chamber the footage of the rocket piercing the covering shows a massive amount of drift by the time the rocket has cleared the launcher. 

https://www.spinlaunch.com

That has been coming up on my YouTube feed for days and I've avoided watching it until now! 

My first thought is, given the huge G forces involved in the spinamathingy, wouldn't it be simpler just to fire it out of a mahoosive gun? 

That has a massive instantaneous G which isn't good for electronics.  Inside shells and bombs they have techniques for protecting small packages from the highest G but would be really difficult for a full satellite
 
So IF IF IF they can get the release point that precise this might just work

Worth a read https://spacenews.com/spinlaunch-conducts-first-test-of-suborbital-accelerator-at-spaceport-america/

But you still have massive centripetal forces to design for...

Strikes me as being a vehicle for sucking up cash from investors... 

[Barman]

Even if they can get the release point that precise you still have the effect of centrifugal force on the payload as it launches. Looking again at the test footage I'm guessing there is a 25-30degree drift between the point when the test payload first breaches the cover and it actually clears it. Now if that's at 20% of power then there is no guarantee it will clear the launch tube before hitting the side when used at full and if it somehow does the odds are it will be way off course by the time it hits orbit.

I'm also sceptical of how many launches per day they say they will be able to accomplish. On a full size installation, once you have replaced the cover and loaded the next payload then you would have to pump out the air from the unit which given the size would take at least a couple of hours to do safely each time and even then you are still putting a hell of a strain on the structure.


 

The vacuum part is certainly a huge challenge even at this size I would think... The energy involved is huge...

[Grumpmeister]

If we ever end up with a permanent base on the moon then it may be more feasible but at the moment I just don't see it

[Steve]

Don't think the vacuum is that big a challenge, it doesn't have to be perfect
 
My limited recall of A level applied maths got the G force to be several thousand g so I thought nah, I must be wrong
 
Seems not as this article reckons ~9,000g  https://www.wired.com/story/hurling-satellites-into-space/
 
Bonkers, going to need a (much) bigger wheel

[apc2010]

I thought this was gonna be about Popeye......

[Steve]

I thought this was gonna be about Popeye......

Maybe it is
 
Have any of us seen what powers this whirligig

[Barman]

I thought this was gonna be about Popeye......

 

[Barman]

If we ever end up with a permanent base on the moon then it may be more feasible but at the moment I just don't see it

I'm putting it in the same category as Solar Roads and Hyperloop TBH... 

[Steve]

If we ever end up with a permanent base on the moon then it may be more feasible but at the moment I just don't see it

I'm putting it in the same category as Solar Roads and Hyperloop TBH... 

But I once put broadband over copper wire in that category 

[Barman]

If we ever end up with a permanent base on the moon then it may be more feasible but at the moment I just don't see it

I'm putting it in the same category as Solar Roads and Hyperloop TBH... 

But I once put broadband over copper wire in that category