Gun propulsion

Discussion in 'General Science & Technology' started by Facial, Oct 1, 2004.

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  1. Facial Valued Senior Member

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    I saw a post on one of the previous threads about alternative means of leaving gravity, and someone posted something about the HARP project gun that would've shot something into space if it was given more funding by the government.

    I think it's feasible. I mean, the one that set the world record of 120 miles was blasted using a gun just over a foot in diameter and 180 feet long. What if we built a launch chamber into the ground or a mountainside with a gun barrel 1km long or more, surely that would shoot something into space.

    If you've played FFVIII, you'll know what I'm talking about when you go to Esthar.
     
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  3. Gifted World Wanderer Registered Senior Member

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    The technical aspects aren't really a problem. You have some limits with the payload, but it would work well alongside a more conventional platform. I did start a thread on this, it was one of my first posts.Kind of fell apart, but still has info.
     
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  5. weed_eater_guy It ain't broke, don't fix it! Registered Senior Member

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    Any human passanger would be turned into pancaked roadkill, the G's are insane. This system is fine for satilites and probes, as long as they're built strong enough, but brave young souls would need to go up the old-fashion way on the top of a very large firework. Maybe a smaller rocket could be used for JUST the passangers and some life support, and any heavy equipment (habitats, supplies, larger ships, etc.) can be lobed up via cannon to rendevous in space. could be cheap enough for poorer countries to get in on the action
     
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  7. Stryder Keeper of "good" ideas. Valued Senior Member

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    The best way to look at this would be to think of the actual current Artillery guns for long range shooting. when one of them fires it doesn't just fire a projectile in a direction but also has to take the recoil force not to mention the overall sound of it firing.

    If you were to fire a projectile straight up which would be a greater force than a lesser angle, then the recoil would be pushed straight down. Now lets suggest you have 15 satellites to launch into orbit, they are precision made namely they shouldn't be shuddered about too much otherwise they might not work. The first couple of satellites might be fine, but the 15th one would have to suffer the mini-earthquakes of the 14 prior launches.

    Not to mention the overall sound of each launch being greater than a thunderclap overhead. (14 or 15 of these definitely is going to get people in the vicinity complaining about noisepollution, if they of course can hear themselves think)

    So I suggest "firing projectiles" won't work for those reasons, unless both of them can be ruled out.
     
  8. Gifted World Wanderer Registered Senior Member

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    Islolated areas eliminate the problem with noise pollution. Payloads would be hardened to take the shock and vibration of launch. While they will weigh more, the massive cost cuts with the system would more than make up for this.

    Where are these mini earthquakes coming from? These guns would be way too big to have recoil mechanisms. They'd be bored into the sides of mountains or something, and would behave more like mortars than howitzers.
     
  9. cato less hate, more science Registered Senior Member

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    yes, if you get all the velocity to escape earth’s atmosphere in 1 second then you have problems with too many Gs(in the thousands) on your payload.

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  10. ElectricFetus Sanity going, going, gone Valued Senior Member

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    human beings could possible survive much higher G's then thought possible if suspended in a oxygenated liquid medium.
     
  11. cato less hate, more science Registered Senior Member

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    That is interesting to know. I don’t see this as a means for getting people into space, it would be better for getting durable goods into space. However, I still think we will find a better way than that for doing it.
     
  12. curioucity Unbelievable and odd Registered Senior Member

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    What about shooting such thing from a hovering space station? (by hovering it should be a sttaellite far away from earth and is actually moving away froim earth)
     
  13. geodesic "The truth shall make ye fret" Registered Senior Member

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    This idea has been considered for a long time (30/40 years). If any of you read SF, try "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" by Robert Heinlein. A similar system is used there, except for three main differences:
    1) Energy for the launch is provided gradually by EM acceleration (like a particle accelerator)
    2) The launcher is not vertical, but mostly horizontal, will a final 'flick' at the end to launch the projectile.
    3) The launcher is on the moon, so the gravity well is less extreme.
    Other points to consider:
    Obviously with this launching system, fragile electronics would be at least damaged. The projectiles being launched are actually grain containers, with only a couple of rockets on to correct orbital velocity. The containers have NO landing system, they are designed to splash down in the sea, thus minimizing non-cargo weight.

    Personally, I'vve always preferred the idea of space elevators.

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  14. hotsexyangelprincess WMD Registered Senior Member

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    yeah. so until later, we're kinda screwed on this idea. :m:
     
  15. ElectricFetus Sanity going, going, gone Valued Senior Member

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    Why not use it to accelerate a rocket to a mild speed?
     
  16. Gifted World Wanderer Registered Senior Member

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    Most of the ideas I played around with in my head involved a mortar like gun with a 1m bore, about 200-500m long. I think 20,000 Gs is the limit. The payloads you can use it for would be very restricted. The gun would ultimately, like WellCooked said, be the first stage. The HARP project was launching rocket assisted projectiles before they cut out and rocket assistance has been used to extend artillery ranges for years, so it wouldn't be as problematic as you'd think.
     
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