Sunny-side-up
22nd July 2014, 13:55
A hypothetical launch concept for you, as a bit of fun with questions!
Imagine if you will the idea for a new way to launch into space!
(A system based around a Massive Air riffle powered by a mountain!)
At this point please don't just laugh and rush off to another Post, this is mainly a theoretical questions techno bit of fun:)
One thing though! you will have to think massive for this concept and I'm posting it here for you members mainly to ask/pose technical exercise and questions!
At first I thought this could be a relatively low tech way to launch solid-payload capsules into a collectable area of low orbit! The payloads might be things like building materials, food, water, supplies etc!
This system if at-all possible would mainly hinge on a massive ground based build/construction/station built on and around a mountain!
It would be:
all built on Earth with already developed engineering abilities,
all run on Earth,
all repaired and maintained on Earth,
all in many ways; comparatively low-tech, comparatively cheep, totally reusable, fast turn around of launches!
all workers, passengers and visitors coming to and or living in the city that would grow near this New-Earth-To-Space-Launch-System!
So If such a concept where to be built it would end up having a new city grow around it, a true space port city where workers and staff of the launch system would live along with there families etc!
This system would be just like a massive Air Riffle firing a shell/capsule into space.
At first I thought it could only be used for solids because of the great acceleration, sudden pressures and speed needed!
but then!
I added an idea of various well timed stages for the initial capsule speed.
This speed could start on and build:
1) conventionally driven rail/train technologies (Built over the flat plains surrounding the mountains base area)
2) next faster stage of rocket power and or a giant Electro-Rail-Gun-Track etc (yes I know I mentioned Rocket! but the difference being, it would be low tech version, just an engine on a track as a massive plunger, used over an over again!) forcing the air pressure into the final Capsule-Launch-Tube/Barrel, which would now be running up the mountain pointing skywards!
3) With the speed of the massive rail plunger forcing great air-pressure into the launch tube, timed with the launch capsule having built up it's speed and so coming together, now gaining the extra needed speed from the air pressure
(Which can be a feathered and variably increased by venting into the launch tube etc) being combined into the launch,
well!
it might be possible to launch soft payloads IE humans?
This capsule might then actually be a small projectile ship who's own on-board engine takes over at a certain altitude etc!
This idea, if it's main mountain component was not viable would make it totally flawed, But! if the mountain part was workable, then a passable concept!
I pose a debate and questions, I would like to give it a look over, call it a mad fun technical exercise if you will!
So any members here with good technical/mathematical abilities and imagination.
If you could ponder on the many variables of the plungers :size/head area, weight, speed, drop height of the mountain rail giving the needed air pressure? and so power/force to launch a payload into low orbit!
Could such a Mountain-Powered-Massive-Air-Riffle give a projectile it's needed launch speed?
Bearing in mind it's not all due to Mountain-height that would be giving the needed power/speed but, a combination of well timed existing ground based technologies!
So like I said this could be a relatively low tech, ground based massive Reusable Air-Riffle Launch to Low Orbit System. A system like this might be able to have a quick turn around launch of many times per month/week?
If this was all possible it would equal a very fast cheep way to get building materials (For Space Stations and or Built in Space Rockets/Ships), fuel, and all other supplies into orbit. If soft payloads would be possible, well a true commuting into space of humans could be reality!
Plus, side products of energies:
1) If the massive plunger was also copper coil wrapped and the compression chamber a copper coiled tunnel! couldn't eclectic energy be made?
2) Such a Massive plunger causing massive compression wouldn't that also produce great heat? and so heat to electric energies conversion, more usable energy as a side product
3) Such a massive plunger producing vast amount of air pressure might have excess to be channeled off to produce yet more side product energies?
4) if over sized and so producing such vast amounts of pressure, well! maybe more than one launch tube a time, a soft and solid launch's!
So please give it a good thinking over, treat it as a bit of a technical fun exercise ;)
Theoretically I would love to see the many possible combinations of speed, height, size etc that would be needed to make such a launch system!
(One possible negative side effect from such a massive air riffle would be the effects of the air jet released into the sky 0.o ? but then no! even that at the last minute after launch could be dissipated in some way hmm!)
Imagine if you will the idea for a new way to launch into space!
(A system based around a Massive Air riffle powered by a mountain!)
At this point please don't just laugh and rush off to another Post, this is mainly a theoretical questions techno bit of fun:)
One thing though! you will have to think massive for this concept and I'm posting it here for you members mainly to ask/pose technical exercise and questions!
At first I thought this could be a relatively low tech way to launch solid-payload capsules into a collectable area of low orbit! The payloads might be things like building materials, food, water, supplies etc!
This system if at-all possible would mainly hinge on a massive ground based build/construction/station built on and around a mountain!
It would be:
all built on Earth with already developed engineering abilities,
all run on Earth,
all repaired and maintained on Earth,
all in many ways; comparatively low-tech, comparatively cheep, totally reusable, fast turn around of launches!
all workers, passengers and visitors coming to and or living in the city that would grow near this New-Earth-To-Space-Launch-System!
So If such a concept where to be built it would end up having a new city grow around it, a true space port city where workers and staff of the launch system would live along with there families etc!
This system would be just like a massive Air Riffle firing a shell/capsule into space.
At first I thought it could only be used for solids because of the great acceleration, sudden pressures and speed needed!
but then!
I added an idea of various well timed stages for the initial capsule speed.
This speed could start on and build:
1) conventionally driven rail/train technologies (Built over the flat plains surrounding the mountains base area)
2) next faster stage of rocket power and or a giant Electro-Rail-Gun-Track etc (yes I know I mentioned Rocket! but the difference being, it would be low tech version, just an engine on a track as a massive plunger, used over an over again!) forcing the air pressure into the final Capsule-Launch-Tube/Barrel, which would now be running up the mountain pointing skywards!
3) With the speed of the massive rail plunger forcing great air-pressure into the launch tube, timed with the launch capsule having built up it's speed and so coming together, now gaining the extra needed speed from the air pressure
(Which can be a feathered and variably increased by venting into the launch tube etc) being combined into the launch,
well!
it might be possible to launch soft payloads IE humans?
This capsule might then actually be a small projectile ship who's own on-board engine takes over at a certain altitude etc!
This idea, if it's main mountain component was not viable would make it totally flawed, But! if the mountain part was workable, then a passable concept!
I pose a debate and questions, I would like to give it a look over, call it a mad fun technical exercise if you will!
So any members here with good technical/mathematical abilities and imagination.
If you could ponder on the many variables of the plungers :size/head area, weight, speed, drop height of the mountain rail giving the needed air pressure? and so power/force to launch a payload into low orbit!
Could such a Mountain-Powered-Massive-Air-Riffle give a projectile it's needed launch speed?
Bearing in mind it's not all due to Mountain-height that would be giving the needed power/speed but, a combination of well timed existing ground based technologies!
So like I said this could be a relatively low tech, ground based massive Reusable Air-Riffle Launch to Low Orbit System. A system like this might be able to have a quick turn around launch of many times per month/week?
If this was all possible it would equal a very fast cheep way to get building materials (For Space Stations and or Built in Space Rockets/Ships), fuel, and all other supplies into orbit. If soft payloads would be possible, well a true commuting into space of humans could be reality!
Plus, side products of energies:
1) If the massive plunger was also copper coil wrapped and the compression chamber a copper coiled tunnel! couldn't eclectic energy be made?
2) Such a Massive plunger causing massive compression wouldn't that also produce great heat? and so heat to electric energies conversion, more usable energy as a side product
3) Such a massive plunger producing vast amount of air pressure might have excess to be channeled off to produce yet more side product energies?
4) if over sized and so producing such vast amounts of pressure, well! maybe more than one launch tube a time, a soft and solid launch's!
So please give it a good thinking over, treat it as a bit of a technical fun exercise ;)
Theoretically I would love to see the many possible combinations of speed, height, size etc that would be needed to make such a launch system!
(One possible negative side effect from such a massive air riffle would be the effects of the air jet released into the sky 0.o ? but then no! even that at the last minute after launch could be dissipated in some way hmm!)