QUESTION:
Why can’t the launch valve open a bit more slowly?
Less stress on the aircraft, etc......?
You’d need a longer deck.
The mechanism is designed to guarantee that steam pressure adequate to launch the plane exists before the launch is initiated. The result is an abrupt release.Seems to (naive?) me that it would be possible to have an auxiliary "hold back” mechanism whereby upon initiation of launch, the catapult would be dragging a large additional mass such that the initial acceleration over would be about half as high, but that mass would be detached after the catapult had traveled a foot or two so that the full acceleration capability would be delivered through the remainder of the throw of the catapult.
But you must understand the conservative instincts of someone who designs a machine to thrust a plane - costing many millions of dollars and containing a crew of one or more - to a speed adequate to assure safe takeoff. The failure rate must be very close to zero.