Multistage Electromagnetic and Laser Launch Systems for Affordable, Rapid Access to Space

EM space launch has proven difficult and expensive to achieve. One approach to reduce the difficulty is to limit projectile velocities achieved by the launcher and augment them with laser propulsion, as suggested in this solicitation, reducing peak power by a factor of four or so. We offer a different approach that will reduce peak power by four orders of magnitude. We propose to study the design of a circular accelerator capable of accelerating projectiles to more than 9 km/sec and launching them to LEO. The accelerator consists of a maglev sled driven by a linear motor around an enclosed, evacuated track. Powerful magnetic fields prevent the sled from contacting the passage wall. At launch speed a projectile is released from the sled into a launch ramp, through an egress hatch and, potentially, into orbit. A proof-of-concept system capable of launching micro-satellites into LEO has an estimated cost of ~$50 million. Larger installations have the potential to launch dozens of projectiles per hour.