A few years ago, I was interested in the physics of getting LEO costs down, so I did some computer modeling.
This general idea was the best I could find. Put the mechanics and fuel for the vast majority of orbital insertion inside some ground-based system, instead of trying to carry it. Impossible to use with humans, but for lots of other stuff like supplies, more fuel, habitats, etc -- should work fine. At least as far as I could tell. It's much more feasible than a Space Elevator, and no new tech needs to be invented.
Having said that, I'm not so sure this is going to work in KickStarter format. Sure, build a bigger laboratory model, but to make this really work it's going to need a lot of cash.
If we're not going to worry about living payloads, why not just use a circular rail gun? (A macro scale cyclotron if you will.) It has no moving parts (except perhaps the exit point), it doesn't need to be a spiral, it doesn't all need to be mounted on a moving platform.
I agree. I didn't use this specific configuration either. All I meant was the general idea of slinging cargo from the surface into LEO. Much, much cheaper than using explosives to dead-lift things out of the gravity well.
Comments
A few years ago, I was interested in the physics of getting LEO costs down, so I did some computer modeling.
This general idea was the best I could find. Put the mechanics and fuel for the vast majority of orbital insertion inside some ground-based system, instead of trying to carry it. Impossible to use with humans, but for lots of other stuff like supplies, more fuel, habitats, etc -- should work fine. At least as far as I could tell. It's much more feasible than a Space Elevator, and no new tech needs to be invented.
Having said that, I'm not so sure this is going to work in KickStarter format. Sure, build a bigger laboratory model, but to make this really work it's going to need a lot of cash.
If we're not going to worry about living payloads, why not just use a circular rail gun? (A macro scale cyclotron if you will.) It has no moving parts (except perhaps the exit point), it doesn't need to be a spiral, it doesn't all need to be mounted on a moving platform.
I agree. I didn't use this specific configuration either. All I meant was the general idea of slinging cargo from the surface into LEO. Much, much cheaper than using explosives to dead-lift things out of the gravity well.