yes, nasa has a plan for that.
watch how spinlaunch flings payloads into space.
by rick richardson
technology this week
every satellite put into orbit in the history of spaceflight has relied on rockets. now a company called spinlaunch is celebrating the first successful test launch for its kinetic launch system, a method that instead uses a massive accelerator, larger than the statue of liberty and powered by an electric centrifuge, that flings a payload into space like a discus.
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nasa has noticed, and is climbing on board with a testing program,
the technology could reduce fuel consumption by a factor of four while costing ten times less than traditional rockets, and it could put multiple payloads into orbit each day. obviously, no one is suggesting its use for manned missions or super-heavy payloads.
spinlaunch may be perfect for any launch vehicle weighing less than 440 pounds.
the key is ruggedizing the packaging so it can take the punishment of 10,000 g force and being released at a speed of over six times the speed of sound (around 5,000 mph.) once the vehicle is released, a second-stage rocket can take over and provide the power to get the package into orbit.
spinlaunch says that they can save up to 70 percent of the fuel by eliminating the first-stage rocket. in essence, hurling the vehicle will use a quarter of the fuel at a tenth of the price.
nasa signed a deal with spinlaunch to develop and integrate a nasa payload, bristling with testing equipment, for a slower sub-orbital launch, perhaps as early as later this year. meanwhile, spinlaunch is working on a timetable for a first orbital launch in 2025.
“spinlaunch is offering a unique suborbital flight and high-speed testing service, and the recent launch agreement with nasa marks a key inflection point as spinlaunch shifts focus from technology development to commercial offerings,” says spinlaunch founder and ceo jonathan yaney in statement.
“what started as an innovative idea to make space more accessible has materialized into a technically mature and game-changing approach to launch,” yaney says.