lunar launch sling?

[mrspacely]

a thought came across my head about a way to get a good head-start into lunar orbit by employing a re-usable tension-based "sling-shot" device that retracts to create tension on cables of some material, attaches to a spacecraft, releases and guides the craft up a rail on a predetermined yet user-selectable slope and finally the craft is lofted to an acceptable apogee allowing only one small burn to circularize your orbit.

is this too far fetched even for orbiter? can anyone design something like this that could eventually be a model for an actual technology to employ one day to save fuel (even in a small amount) on lunar expeditions?

 

[dougkeenan]

Kulch's mag lev rail driver sounds alot like that. How does that compare with what you're thinking?

 

[Master of Blades]

I think the difference here is that he wants to get from Earth to Lunar orbit.

 

[n0mad23]

I think mrspacely's talking about launching from the Moon, as a small burn to circularize the orbit wouldn't be doable from Earth.

Kulch's Lunar Mass Driver does certainly fit the bill here, though it's not using a tension based device. The orbit the Mass Driver creates is really quite elliptic, but remains one of my all time favorite add ons!

You might have a look at Tblaxland's and my thread on the ZTC-Ltd. tether-sling transport system. Eventually we'll have a rotovator in lunar orbit that will both deposit and lift payloads from the Moon's surface.

While we're not able to create that elastic, bungy chord tension (meshes don't allow flexibility), the system itself is really based on the medieval trebuchet. In this sense, the platform meets your "sling-shot" criteria. The tether-sling really is primitive tech bootstrapped into the space age.

You can see what we're up to here: http://www.orbiter-forum.com/showthread.php?t=684

We're pretty excited about the project, and would love any feedback you'd like to provide.

 

[Notebook]

And, that old favourite:-

http://www.slingatron.com/

N.

 

[tblaxland]

A launch loop could also be an option.

 

[mrspacely]

A launch loop could also be an option.

this thing is awesome! i guess it would work better for more applications..