SpinLaunch just Catapulted a NASA payload into the sky

Interesting Engineering ^ | 10/04/2022 | Chris Young

[Vermont Lt]

U.S. startup SpinLaunch — the company that aims to disrupt the rapidly-growing satellite launch industry by catapulting payloads into space with minimal rocket fuel — has just passed a massive test.

[TangoLimaSierra]

5,000 MPH starting velocity isn’t 14,000 MPH lateral velocity necessary for low orbit.

I had the same questions. Then I read the last sentence of the article.

"...uses a small rocket engine for the final orbital insertion."

[no-to-illegals]

The dna would be breaking BAD to the bone

[TangoLimaSierra]

Something tells me they might encounter intractable problems trying to scale this thing up to escape velocity.

See my post# 21.

[I-ambush]

I would like to think the Spinlaunch approach was inspired by that squirrel-proof bird feeder.

[moovova]

Leon launches first Tesla on space!

[Blood of Tyrants]

Not many items can withstand a 10,000g spin. Not many structures can withstand that load.

[Reily]

If they embraced, you would have an event horizon!

[SES1066]

A very interesting piece of kit.

I think of it as kind of a ‘Sky Darts’! Made sure that there is a valid NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) for your launch window. Embarrassing for a 30k high airliner suddenly getting ‘pranged’ by a very large dart!

[Vermont Lt]

I think the sling shot launch is the first stage. It will use a rocket burn for insertion.

[Chad C. Mulligan]

This might work a whole lot better if they built their gizmo on a high mountaintop. Maybe on the Altiplano in Bolivia, as close to the Equator as possible.

In any case, I think Heinlein’s linear accelerator is a much better technology. Doesn’t subject the payload to 10,000G for one thing. Built high enough and long enough, it could loft multi-ton payloads all the way to low earth orbit.

[Jet Jaguar]

Neat stuff.

[Rio]

I think I read that they want to put the final version on top of a mountain to get a head start and thinner atmosphere. Mauna Kea?

[paulcissa]

They would kiss and make monsters

The horror. The horror.

[Magnum44]

[Bobalu]

If they embraced, you would have an event horizon!

A critical mass, or a woke fizzle

[SunkenCiv]

I talked about Spinlaunch a few years ago, they wanted to reduce space launch costs by throwing the launch vehicles out of a spinning launcher at hypersonic speeds. I was somewhat skeptical as to the chances of solving the engineering problems inherent in this, but recently they demonstrated a mach 1 launch using their 1/3 scale launcher, so they're already making progress on developing a viable launch system.

Can Spinlaunch Throw Rockets Into Space?
Scott Manley | November 10, 2021

[Secret Agent Man]

Release on the upswing

Not the downswing

Wonder how deep the hole would be...

[Chode]

you’d think they’d of videoed it or something...

[Vermont Lt]

I know. It would be fun to watch it go up.

[SamAdams76]

Well it is close to Halloween.