Re:Why Bezos’ rocket is unprecedented–and worth taking serio...
by dogma1138 on Tuesday September 13, 2016 @12:52PM
(#12490059)
The electricity and cost of the rail gun isn't measured in pennies.
An Aerodynamic vehicle could be safe, but it would also mean it would generate considerable drag on the way up requiring more power, it also would be safe only after almost reaching orbit because it would be hypersonic out of the launch pad, if you can design a hypersonic glider NASA would like hear about it.
Building a launch pad over 200KM is also not a simple feat, if you ask why people are building rockets it's because we have no clue how to build EM and by all accounts it's not sustainable for earth.
EM launchers for the moon and even mars as well as large asteroid bases are considerably more sensible.
An Aerodynamic vehicle could be safe, but it would also mean it would generate considerable drag on the way up requiring more power, it also would be safe only after almost reaching orbit because it would be hypersonic out of the launch pad, if you can design a hypersonic glider NASA would like hear about it.
Building a launch pad over 200KM is also not a simple feat, if you ask why people are building rockets it's because we have no clue how to build EM and by all accounts it's not sustainable for earth.
EM launchers for the moon and even mars as well as large asteroid bases are considerably more sensible.