Since
so many people are impatient with N.A.S.A. manned space Earth to
orbit methods I thought I would add another concept on the topic.
I
like electro-magnetic accelerators a lot. They can easily achieve
orbital escape velocity. Originally developed for the S.D.I. rail gun
they have been used by the Navy for artillery on ships and in the
metal-storm pistol manufactured by an Australian. It would be a
useful concept approach to put an e.m.a. aboard a very large
edge-of-the-atmosphere balloon launch platform and lift an orbital
capsule 'bullet' up to the rarefied air where it would then be fired
through the tube and into space.
That
would be stage one of the idea. The balloon itself might be a winged
delta shape and have rockets in it to fire when the e.m.a. sends of
the space capsule in an opposite direction from the balloon
delta-wing platform. The platform-launchers should be fairly cheap
and easy to reload with another capsule for launch.
Obviously
there are a zillion varieties and permutations for the shape and
composition of the high-altitude space-capsule lift and launching
platform. The balloons could be collapsible and the very large
delta/balloon object could glide down to Earth after use for
reloading perhaps landing in the ocean near Cape Canaveral Florida.
Less atmosphere less friction for the manned or cargo bullets. I
haven't time to write more about the idea presently.
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