Electromagnetic Launch to Space

• Authors: D. Wetz , I. McNab , F. Stefani , J. Parker
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

Many advances in electromagnetic (EM) propulsion technology have occurred in recent years. Linear motor technology for low-velocity and high-mass applications is being developed for naval catapults and missile launchers. Such technology could serve as the basis for the launch of a first-stage booster launch - for example, as suggested some years ago by the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the Maglifter concept. For higher velocities, experimental laboratory railguns have demonstrated launch velocities of 2-3 km/s and muzzle energies greater than 10 MJ. The extension of this technology to the muzzle velocities ( ≥ 7500 m/s) and energies (hundreds of megajoules) needed for the direct launch of payloads into orbit is very challenging but may not be impossible. For launch to orbit, long launchers (> 1000 m) would need to operate at accelerations > 1000 G to reach the required velocities, so it would only be possible to launch rugged payloads, such as fuel, water, and material. This paper provides an overview of these concepts and includes a summary of the recent advances made in this area.

Keywords

EN

96.12.Hg; 98.35.Eg; 94.30.Kq; 94.05.Rx; 94.20.Fg; 94.20.wc; 94.20.wf

Discipline

• 94.30.Kq: Electric fields, field-aligned currents and current systems, and ring currents
• 94.20.Fg: Plasma temperature and density
• 94.05.Rx: Experimental techniques and laboratory studies(see also 52.72.+v—in physics of plasmas)
• 94.20.wf: Plasma waves and instabilities
• 94.20.wc: Plasma motion; plasma convection; particle acceleration
• 98.35.Eg: Electric and magnetic fields
• 96.12.Hg: Magnetic field and magnetism

• Publisher: Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences
• Journal: Acta Physica Polonica A
• Year: 2009
• Volume: 115
• Issue: 6
• Pages: 1066-1068

Dates

published

2009-06

Contributors

author

D. Wetz

• Institute for Advanced Technology, The University of Texas at Austin, 3925 W. Braker Lane, Ste. 400, Austin, TX 78759, USA

author

I. McNab

• Institute for Advanced Technology, The University of Texas at Austin, 3925 W. Braker Lane, Ste. 400, Austin, TX 78759, USA

author

F. Stefani

• Institute for Advanced Technology, The University of Texas at Austin, 3925 W. Braker Lane, Ste. 400, Austin, TX 78759, USA

author

J. Parker

• Institute for Advanced Technology, The University of Texas at Austin, 3925 W. Braker Lane, Ste. 400, Austin, TX 78759, USA

References

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• 7. D.A. Wetz, F. Stefani, J.V. Parker, I.R. McNab, IEEE Trans. Magn. 45, 1 (in press)

Identifiers

DOI

10.12693/APhysPolA.115.1066