Giant catapult defies gravity by launching satellites into orbit without the need of rocket fuel

Brighter Side News ^ | 10/21/2024 | Joseph Shavit

[TexasKamaAina]

This technology aims to revolutionize the way satellites are sent into space, using a giant rotating arm to fling satellites into low Earth orbit.

[TexasKamaAina]

Slingshots vs rockets

[blackdog]

As long as your satellite isn’t fragile, which all satellites are.

[MeanWestTexan]

Just wait until the muzzies get ahold of this tech.

[Magnum44]

PULL!!!

No...wait....

[ComputerGuy]

Would make for a great ride at the State Fair.

[Resolute Conservative]

Did Wile E. Coyote open an Acme catalog again?

[Right Brother]

***As long as your satellite isn’t fragile, which all satellites are.***

Yep. The first first thing I thought about was Jules Vern’s book “From earth to the Moon”. The three occupants of the projectile would’ve been smashed to a pulp when fired out of the cannon. But in Vern’s time, a cannon was the strongest form of propulsion known. A rocket provides gradual acceleration. A slingshot does not.

[Gaffer]

ha.... a takeoff on Heilein’s “Moon is a Harsh Mistress” where ore rocks from the moon were EM sled-launched to earth to splash down in shallow ocean areas...

As far as the catapult concept goes, an EM rail-launcher makes more sense.

[catnipman]

"Giant catapult defies gravity by launching satellites into orbit without the need of rocket fuel"

wow, who knew:

[TheThirdRuffian]

Wouldn’t it depend on how rapidly it gets wound up?

It’s basically spinning until it hits Mach 6 and releases.

Be a heck of a lot of centrifugal (or the opposite one, can’t remember the spelling) force, though.

[Gay State Conservative]

Wasn’t there a Three Stooges episode featuring such a contraption?

[Magnum44]

[CitizenUSA]

As long as the rate of acceleration is low, satellite fragility shouldn’t matter. I’m more interested in deceleration when the thing is launched and the resulting wind resistance. If it’s launched in an aerodynamic capsule, maybe this launching tech is feasible. It’s an interesting concept to be sure.

[FlingWingFlyer]

Be vewy vewy quiet. I’m huntin’ wabbitts.

[blackdog]

There you go with that physixy stuff. We’ve moved past that. We even have an app on our phones. “SpaceApp”. Those two astronauts love it so much they won’t come home.

[hanamizu]

As long as your satellite isn’t fragile, which all satellites are.

---

Perhaps a stupid question, would it work as an earth-based variation of ‘Rods from God’?

[blackdog]

https://www.damninteresting.com/project-babylon-gerald-bulls-downfall/

[wbarmy]

It actually is very workable because the acceleration is gradual. The arm slowly oges faster and faster, reducing G forces on the object to be launched. Once the arm is rotating at launch speed, then the object is let go.

[blackdog]

https://www.omnicalculator.com/physics/escape-velocity

[blackdog]

Uhm......the centrifugal forces are just as destructive in our sea level atmosphere. You can’t cheat physics my friend.