Startup SpinLaunch wants to send small satellites into orbit using a large centrifuge

Startup SpinLaunch offers to literally hurl small satellites into orbit with its giant centrifuge.

Representatives of the American startup SpinLaunch proposed an interesting idea of ​​using a kinetic launch system for a high-speed and low-cost launch of mini satellites into low-Earth orbit. The company's engineers have already demonstrated the operation of such a system by successfully launching a projectile into the upper atmosphere.

New principle of launching small satellites and its prospects

The principle of operation proposed by SpinLaunch engineers is based on a centrifuge with a so-called vacuum seal, which allows you to spin up a projectile without an engine at a speed significantly higher than the speed of sound, before "shooting" it at atmosphere.

The company plans in such a simple way to impose competition on companies that plan to launch payload into orbit.

The company's engineers have already performed the first successful test launch of the so-called suborbital accelerator, which was carried out on October 22 from the New Mexico cosmodrome (California, USA).

The principle of operation of the installation is based on the use of a vacuum chamber, inside which a special lever rotates, accelerating "projectile", up to great speed before throwing it through a special launch chamber into atmosphere. To balance the system, a counterweight is unwound at the other end of the arm.

In this case, the vacuum seal remains in place until the last moment, until the released object pierces it in the upper half of the launcher.

At the current stage of work, the company's engineers have created an installation with a height of 91 meters, but this is a concept. The final version of the rig will be at least three times larger than the test rig.

In a test run, engineers launched a three-meter-long "blank" into the upper atmosphere into the upper atmosphere. In this case, only 20% of the power of the experimental setup was used.

According to the scientists, they have already completed up to 90% of all required research aimed at minimizing risks and operating a full-size plant at full capacity.

Representatives of the company plan to use a small rocket engine in the final version of the projectile, which will be launched at an altitude of about 60 km.

So, according to the calculations of SpinLaunch engineers, in this way it will be possible to deliver up to 181 kg of payload into orbit, and at the same time such launches will cause minimal harm to the planet's ecology, since all emissions will be carried out already in the upper layers atmosphere.

SpinLaunch plans to start the first commercial launches as soon as possible, but before that, you need to decide on the place of construction. full-size installation, as well as conduct at least 30 test suborbital launches, and only then start testing the orbital launches.

Well, let's watch SpinLaunch. After all, in fact, it is extremely curious whether they will be able to build a competitively capable installation that launches payloads into orbit or not. I ask you to write your opinion in the comments.

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