Rail-Gun Space Launcher

[Proteus_MST]

Originally posted by Zkribbler
Well....so much for my brilliant idea on how to leave all that heavy fuel behind.

We can as soon as we have (almost) completely self sustaining space stations on Luna and orbiting earth with material neede for building things extracted from moon and the asteroid belt and therefore need most flights from/to earth only for the transfer of personnel

[Leifmk]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker
So you could build a really tall tower - maybe even have it support itself with a counterweight past geosync - and launch the thing from a railgun above the atmosphere!

If you can hang something down from beyond geosynch, you don't need much of a railgun, just use the thing as an elevator. This is an old-ish but serious idea, and people are trying to develop the necessary materials technology as we speak.

[KrazyHorse]

[Proteus_MST]

Your laughing seems to indicate that you don´t believe in SPace Elevators

[_BuRjaCi_]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse

Come on; it is in Civ, so it has to be true.

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse

You know, I don't even try very hard, but somehow people always bite mine.

[Drake Tungsten]

It's because people expect fresh-faced youngsters like yourself to be annoyingly sincere.

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker


You know, I don't even try very hard, but somehow people always bite mine.

You get the dumbest (thus largest) tier of Poly. I aim higher, so I'm fishing in a much smaller pool.

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by Proteus_MST
Your laughing seems to indicate that you don´t believe in SPace Elevators

How can they still not get it?

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by Leifmk
If you can hang something down from beyond geosynch, you don't need much of a railgun, just use the thing as an elevator. This is an old-ish but serious idea, and people are trying to develop the necessary materials technology as we speak.

I read a great article on "sky stalks" decades ago. There is no material which exists (or that can be theoretically developed using our technology) that has enough tensil strength to hold its own weight for the length of a skystalk (at least on Earth--it is theortically possible on the Moon or even Mars ).

I've wondered if the solution isn't electromagnetism. For example, everyones done the experiment where you dangle a string of unconnected paperclips from a magnet. Maybe something like that would work. Of course, if the power were ever cut...

[Jon Miller]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker


You know, I don't even try very hard, but somehow people always bite mine.

But there are people who do beleive what you troll with (in Religion threads) so I feel that responding and providing greater detail is a public service for those interested.

Jon Miller

[Blaupanzer]

Originally posted by Jon Miller


But there are people who do beleive what you troll with (in Religion threads) so I feel that responding and providing greater detail is a public service for those interested.

Jon Miller

A "troll" is a public service?

[Drake Tungsten]

Of the highest order.

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker
So you could build a really large wooden badger - maybe even have it support itself with a counterweight past geosync - and launch the thing from a railgun above the atmosphere!

fixed.

[Ellestar]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker
So you could build a really tall tower - maybe even have it support itself with a counterweight past geosync - and launch the thing from a railgun above the atmosphere!

It's called a space elevator http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Elevator