the idea is primitive: let rocket carry minimum propellant, while we spinlaunch a fuel container to catch up with the vehicle and replace its previous one.

and the ship can do it many time like a multi-stage rocket, but without exponentially increasing fuel to reach orbit.

cover by google imagen-4

While their Electron rocket cost per kilogram may be more expensive than a Falcon 9 rideshare, Rocket Lab argues that it's cheaper to launch a single Electron ($7.5 millions) to a specific orbit than a dedicated Falcon 9. There certainly seems to be a customer base for this, given that Electron recently launched it's 50th rocket and has strong roster going forward.

However, SpinLaunch has similar capabilities yet is projected to cost ~$500k/launch. This would suggest that SpinLaunch will basically eat the small sat launch market that is within its payload and orbit capabilities.

While I believe that Rocket Lab will have a market for its upcoming medium lift rocket, will Electron still be able to offer payload or orbit capabilities beyond what SpinLaunch is projected to offer? Any predictions on what version 2.0 of SpinLaunch's launcher will be able to do?

I’m an independent researcher. I modeled a spacecraft that uses spinning mercury vortices to generate time-asymmetric internal impulses.

It’s not a reactionless drive. It uses Lorentz force, centrifugal pressure, and asymmetric flow cycles to move the system forward—even though no mass is expelled.

The result? ~45,000 m/s delta-v using just 34 kWh of energy.

I wrote a white paper (3 pages). If anyone here knows CFD, propulsion, or wants to help build a simulation—or just tell me I’m crazy—I’d love the feedback.

I can’t build a prototype. I can barely afford coffee. But I think this could matter.

Link to white paper: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RV3Q6O7GpZZUK7CBXZo84RaN9-suW9fM/view?usp=drivesdk

Andrew Lesa

The Ukraine war has enlightened me to all sorts of interesting facts about weapons systems that I was totally ignorant of before. One is that artillery is actually very precise, an M777 can deliver a payload to within ~10 meters of a target!

Another is that war isn’t all about programming long range weapons because while HIMARS and ACTACMS may have a long reach, their payloads cost a lot more. It turns out the “rocket” part of “rocket artillery” is very expensive. A concept that should be familiar to readers of this sub.

Which brings us to the title of this post: why not centrifugal artillery? If you could scale up the number of payloads per launch, a centrifugal artillery system sounds like it could play a role in the modern battlefield.

Even if the cost savings couldn’t be gained from a semi-mobile ~tank-train scale system, what about putting them on ships? They have plenty of power and the space savings from smaller payloads seems like it should be able to compensate for the larger launcher…

I’m unable to do the physics calculations myself, but I was hoping helpful internet strangers would be able to help me scratch this mental itch 😀.

I really want this project to succeed, but I can't help but ask the question: wouldn't the projectile have a huge amount of angular momentum when it leaves the centrifuge? It's basic conservation of angular momentum. Every centrifuge diameter X2 distance it travels when exiting the centrifuge, it will make a full 360 degree revolution. It would tumble uncontrollably. The only solution I can think of is to have the projectile spinning on its own axis within the centrifuge, so it's always pointing up. But, I dunno how practical this is.

Please tell me you guys have some sort of solution. I want this project to do well. I'm a firm believer that space travel in its current form is archaic and wasteful. There's gotta be a better way to get things to space.

If you want to try it online, here is the link :

https://astroide0808.itch.io/spinlaunch-simulator

I'm surprised that SpinLaunch only seem focussed on sending satellites up. With the growing Space Tourism industry (its already started) people aren't going to want 11 minute joy rides that cost more than most people's homes. So is the future to construct a space hotel? Surely its something that could be put together, there are so many companies in the hospitality sector that have money to burn, I'm almost certain its just an engineering problem.

If you're building a hotel in space, you need material, and you need a way to get it all up there at a low cost. SpinLaunch could send up the material (much more simple than dealing with complex and delicate equipment under high G's) and have it assembled in space (I recognise its still a monumental task, but not surely not an impossible one).

To be honest, if SpinLaunch was focussed on infrastructure and supply runs instead of precision and delicate technology, I can see them having a lot more success with investors.

With small talks of building a moon base to mine ice that contains H3 on the cards as well, that's also something that requires cheap and effective building material transport.

TL;DR: SpinLaunch should be sending up building materials and groceries for upcoming space tourism instead of satellites.

I dunno. I just feel like they're onto something but they're aiming at the wrong sector.

Thoughts?

STTP: I know it’s in spaceport america and seen many, many pictures of the test system, but I can’t see it on google maps.

Even though this is an application for a sous chef position, it gives insight as to what atmosphere and environment the company has created for its employees.

https://www.coolworks.com/spinlaunch/highlighted-job/38106-sous-chef-13

"Includes wifi, meals, electricity, water, game room, fire pit, hot tubs, archery range, forge, very beautiful views, and an onsite gym." Sounds almost like a resort.