balloon idea

Another thought on the EM launcher suspended from a balloon platform: Rigidity would be an issue. Consider the bending forces that might be exerted on the tube by winds aloft, and the consequences of too much out of true.

You would need a system of laser levels and either EM or hydraulic rams that computer monitored the straightness of the launcher constantly and actively forced it to hold to true straight.

Dan

I had seen the ideal arrangment as using the balloon with a reusable vehicle
that has ramjet first stage using the same fuel as the main engine.

Actually, this vehicle would work nicely with the ground-based launch rail,
too.

Of course, this gets away from my low-tech idea, unless you use a
pre-existing launch vehicle.

This is sad, I am beginning to argue with myself!

Does anyone know what a PEGASUS rocket could do if it were launched from the
rail launcher? Either the mechanical or EM version.

.