So what your saying, hydrolic ram won't do it, huh?

Lot's of ummph possible but not the velocity required for orbit?

Is that the final word?

...and here i thought I had new comercial use for abandoned Oil pipeline and
right of way that goes over continental divide in Panama and down to sea
level. :-(

Are we back to electrically generated maglev mass driver again?

> Running water down a tube or trench won't put a small satellite in
orbit.

Hello

What I had originally planned was a cheap way to accelerate a fairly large
rocket to around Mach 1.7. With that much boost, several modest rockets can
carry a payload to orbit. It could be gentle enough for a manned craft, but
it was never intended as the sole means to orbit.

Now thay I pressed for details, I also saw the water column compressing air
in a plenum. It would heat up at which point water would be sprayed in to
give additional force.

I concede it would be large and crude but it would not be sophisticated
engineering.

can hardly wait for your email....

perhaps some kind of air jets to hold the vehicle in the center,,,a wheeled
trolly would probably have too much friction to deal with...how cast nad
wheels go round and round :-)

Maglev brings forth problems with electronics although I suppose a sheilding
could be created.

To make space vists worthwhile for many and make industry viable, you'll
need to get larger items into orbit, hence the large diameter so that you
can minimize the number of launches and more important the number of
assembly EVA required , which are high risk. 20 ft diameter sems large
enough to house industrial machinery of large enough capacity to make
production possible... or at least large enough to get modular sections
aloft, again with limited EVA's

A hundred million couldbe piggy backed onto another project fairly easily,
and with that in place independent vehicle desiners /investers could be
promoted at no additional cost to launch facility.

sounds exciting!

Just gotta work out frictions and turbulence of water rushing down pipes,
etc.

bob
SLF

My area of expertise is fluid dynamics. This is doable. We will be
substituting mass for sophistication.

That is anathema to an aerospace engineer (as I am) but in this case heavier
is better.

Rudy Behrens

yes , you are probably being pressured now to make a multi-phase process
into the main attraction... sorry for that.

as far as being large and crude....its the results that counts :-)

Smetimes we know enough physics to get us in trouble :-)
thats been my curse. Always some little footnote I forgot in some Law, hehe

Hello

Are you serious about attempting build one? If you have enough mountains and
water a small proof-of-concept launcher would be very easy to make.

Rudy

being that Im in Florida at the moment, not know for its topology :-) I
would have to wait till back in Panama again later this summer.

is this something that could be donewith perhaps a water tower as a model?
Perhaps using plastic pipes reducing down to the power diameters needed.

Yes I am intersted. Beats the heck out trying to resurrect ruskies Buran or
Space plane program and transport to Panama hehe.

The Pan Canal is pretty much dated now some 500 years after inception; time
to look at a new "canal" to the new trade zones; orbital transports and
Space resources.

> Hello
>
> Are you serious about attempting build one? If you have enough mountains
and

Hello

Exactly. A tower, some pipe, reducers and you have it.

Rudy

well how about a sketch or perhaps walking me through it verbally and I'll
see what i can get done... dimenensions etc.

so where do I put the seat to launch :-)

Actually yes, and our spot is around 8 degrees above equator. Suprised no
one caught my topography comment...you are so understanding of my slow
fingers and not petty on unimportant details. Great group.

One other good thing about latitude is minimal tropical storm
activity...hurricanes and the like start around 12 degree and go north from
there...

bob
SLF