This Company Built a Gigantic Centrifuge to Fling Rockets Into Space

Popular Mechanics ^ | 01/30/2020 | Courtney Linder

[aimhigh]

(snip) a cryptic startup called SpinLaunch starts suborbital test flights of a rocket that is launched using an enormous centrifuge.

Here's the gist: A centrifuge the size of a football field will spin a rocket around in circles for about an hour until its speed eventually exceeds 5,000 miles per hour. At that point, the rocket and its payload will feel forces 10,000 times stronger than gravity. When the centrifuge finally releases the rocket at launch speed, it should, practically speaking, fly through the stratosphere until it fires its engines at the periphery of our atmosphere. (snip)

SpinLaunch hopes its new system will replace rocket boosters, which currently augment a rocket's own thrust power to escape the gravitational pull of Earth, and happen to be one of the most expensive components of a rocket launch. Even reusable boosters, like the ones powering the SpaceX Falcon 9, still require costly fuel and ongoing maintenance.

[Brilliant]

But it would tear the rocket apart. Might work on the moon though.

[Libloather]

I like the rubber band idea. Really big rubber bands. Pew!

[American in Israel]

As long as your payload is a steel ball it might work, but 10 kilo G force would crush a golf ball.

[Army Air Corps]

The ultimate hammer throw.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

I’d prefer a trebuchet myself.

[SWAMP-C1PHER]

Wasn’t the video game mass effect based off something similar to this?

[calenel]

Someone better invent “inertial dampeners” first.

[Larry Lucido]

Its former name was Acme. Primary client was one Wile E. Coyote.

[BenLurkin]

[llevrok]

I saw something like this in a Road Runner cartoon once.

[Rennes Templar]

“Jose can you see...?”

[YouPosting2Me]

I’d like to see it tested on democrats (or at least house managers) to see if it works...

[ryderann]

The training for the crew will be tough.

[Bryan24]

LOL. What is that, 200-300 Gs? Yeah, that’s the ticket....

[BenLurkin]

[TChad]

Can satellite electronics handle that kind of pressure?

Better keep birds out of the spin zone.

[lee martell]

Some offended Martian may find a way to throw those rocks right back at us. “Did you drop something on Jupiter?”

[11Bush]

Instead of SpinLaunch

They should have named it FoolandHisMoney.

[EQAndyBuzz]

Wondering how a rocket will go through an oval at extremely high speed. Does the rocket bend?