Is SpinLaunch real?

SpinLaunch hurls rockets into space by spinning them around real fast. The idea sounds crazy to the average person, but SpinLaunch had their first test in late October, and proved that their Suborbital Accelerator — the first step in creating a kinetic launch system to get satellites into low Earth orbit — works.

What is a centrifuge on a rocket?

The SpinLaunch concept, which feels ripped right from the classic age of science fiction, is based around a vacuum-sealed centrifuge that spins an unpowered projectile at several times the speed of sound before releasing it, hurling it into the upper atmosphere, and ultimately into orbit.

How much per pound does it cost to go to space?

Today, it costs $10,000 to put a pound of payload in Earth orbit. NASA’s goal is to reduce the cost of getting to space to hundreds of dollars per pound within 25 years and tens of dollars per pound within 40 years.

How do satellites launch into space?

All satellites are launched to space and into their orbit by hitching a ride on a rocket or on the Space Shuttle, where they are placed inside the cargo bay. There are also countries and large corporations that have their own rocket launch facilities, so they can easily send their own satellites into orbit.

What is Spinlaunch?

Eventually, it’ll Throw Them Almost all the way to Orbit.

Can anyone put a satellite in space?

You can send your own satellite into space with the help of NASA’s Cubesat Launch Initiative. This CSLI program makes space research more accessible than ever before in history! A cubesat can easily be built with off the shelf electronics and components and the launch itself costs about $40,000 dollars.

Could SpinLaunch launch a space rocket this year?

Trials could begin this year. While the idea seems farfetched, SpinLaunch has managed to secure a contract with the U.S. Department of Defense. SpinLaunch has built the massive centrifuges to spin rockets at high speed inside a vacuum with minimal friction, hoping to launch rockets at 3,000 miles per hour.

What happens when a centrifuge is used to launch a rocket?

When the centrifuge finally releases the rocket at launch speed, it should, practically speaking, fly through the stratosphere until it fires its engines at the periphery of our atmosphere. The concept sounds ludicrous, but stakeholders like the U.S. government have taken a liking to it.

What is spacespinlaunch’s propulsion system?

SpinLaunch hopes its new system will replace rocket boosters, which currently augment a rocket’s own thrust power to escape the gravitational pull of Earth, and happen to be one of the most expensive components of a rocket launch. Even reusable boosters, like the ones powering the SpaceX Falcon 9, still require costly fuel and ongoing maintenance.

Will SpinLaunch make it to the cosmos?

So far, SpinLaunch has not made it anywhere near the cosmos, but instead has been working toward its first suborbital launch at a new test site in New Mexico, slated for this winter. Until then, we’ll maintain a healthy dose of skepticism.