Quote:
Originally Posted by redpoint5
I've always thought it would be quite efficient to send satellites to space using an evacuated tube and rail gun. I just don't know what kind of heat shield would be needed for when the craft exits the tube, or if the sudden impact of hitting 1atm at ~20,000mi/hr would pulverize everything. Build this gun on top of a tall mountain near the equator and you can cut it down to 0.5atm and reduce the required velocity.
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How do you get the tube to remain vacuum while the much-needed opening at the end is at 1 atm, or say 0,8 atop a mountain ?
The moment the tube is opened, the air will violently rush in while your spaceship is doing 9km/s going the other way.
Space shuttles were going relatively slow until they gained altitude, air became less dense, and much of the launch weight was already burned off. It's doing some 3000mph when 25 miles up.