[blam]

[verum ago]

I propose we use Ted Kennedy to test it at a 200% power setting

[Fudd]

The acceleration (in the ring) will be a killer. a = v^2/r. For an 8 km/s speed with a 10-km-diameter circle, the acceleration will still be ~1300G. Typical satellites are designed for the 6-8G range.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

Should be able to get small, adamantium pellets into space.

[marron]

the intense g forces experienced during launch might damage the very satellites being lofted into space.

Thats why you only use it for cargo. You need a larger ring and a longer windup for fragile cargos such as humans, and even then it may be pretty tough.

[johnny7]

Oh brother... make sure you don't have steak & eggs for breakfast.

[ryan71]

This is a cool idea, but I would not use it for satellites. Satellites are fragile pieces of equipment.

This is a gun. It would be more practical to design projectiles that could be launched into space and put into orbit until needed. During wartime, a target can be identified and the projectile directed to reenter the atmosphere, glide, and use GPS or a laser designator to impact the target.

You could put countless shells into space to be used when needed. No more waiting on Bombers or clearing foreign airspace.

Size? Big, small, even clusters. Warhead? Conventional HE, maybe no warhead, maybe just a kinetic force like our concrete bombs.

[Aquinasfan]

the intense g forces experienced during launch might damage the very satellites being lofted into space.

Yeeeeah. What's the diameter of this thing? Interesting idea though. Would it require any less energy than a rocket? And what about air friction at launch? The satellite would be red hot.

[Political Junkie Too]

You'll definitely need one of these to ride that thing:

-PJ