Crazy and very wild idea

Hi Robert,

> the two problems of using a air based launch that i can see is
>
> 1)launching the aircraft. it would have to be vtol. regardless of
> whether you use balloon or helicopter style, (both of which have
> their problems) it would have to be a very short take off at most.
> the alternate of connecting them in the air has many problems
>too.
> mainly turbulence.
>
> 2)action/reaction. your ship would be accelerating in one
direction
> while the launcher was accelerating in the opposite. if it
>required a
> specific speed to launch the ship, it would have to have the same
> thrust as that imparted to the ship added to its normal thrust
>during
> launch.

Well, if the launcher weights a lot more than the spacecraft the
reaction will be a lot smaller. Imagine the proportions in weight
between a navy carrier and a fighter plane. Size should help a lot.

>
> on the other hand if it got part of its power from solar, at that
> altitude, it would be getting more energy than ground lvl.
>

Great idea! That way the platform could stay floating on hair for
long periods of times. Besides, perhaps could receive energy
directly from a solar satellite.

What about pulling the spacecrafts from the ground to the platform?
Using a crane? It is possible to design today a practical cable 6
miles long or do we have to wait for new technology to develop?

It looks like the idea of the space elevator, but 6 miles is just a
small fraction of the way to geosyncronic orbit :)

This problem is getting quite interesting for me!

Regards,

Omar Vega

> --- In spacesettlers@yahoogroups.com, "Omar E. Vega"
> wrote:
> >
> > Hi,
> >
> > I was thinking and thinking again about the idea of using a mass
> > driver to launch spacecrafts from the earth to space. Yes, we
find
> the
> > problem of air resistance that does not seem to have a solution.
> Now,
> > the idea to put a mass driver at the top of the Andes does not
seem
> to
> > be very practical either. After all, you'll hardly find a right
> place
> > in the Andes to put it, and then you just will have won 6
> kilometers
> > of altitude (if one is lucky). Remember, we need a 3 kms.
launcher