cheap orbital insertion

--- In spacesettlers@egroups.com, "bill t" wrote:
>
> At 5 g the length of the mass driver is 1250 km long. The
acceleration
> would be constant.
>
> Bill
>
> --- In spacesettlers@egroups.com, "Ed Minchau"
> wrote:
> > The key factor in the development of space is the cost of moving
> > people and cargo from the Earth's surface to orbit. I propose
> > building a mass driver along the ridge of the Himalayas.
> >
> > A mass driver consists of a series of solenoids, which move a
> charged
> > projectile along their length by alternately turning on and off
one
> > by one.
> >
> > The mass driver I propose would consist of solenoids 100 m in
> > diameter, made of a superconducting material. They would be
spaced
> > along the mountain range so that they would provide a constant 3g
> > acceleration. The projectile would resemble a supersonic
airplane,
> > gliding from one solenoid to the next. A maglev track could be
used
> > to provide the initial velocity required for the airfoil to
provide
> > sufficient lift to carry the craft from one solenoid to the
next.
> > The craft would make a series of parabolic glides until it
received
> > its final boost at the end of the mass driver.
> >
> > I figure that such a mass driver would have to be about 1500
miles
> > long to achieve escape velocity at 3g.
> >
> > :) ed