"[ Robert-Coyote ]" wrote:
>
> Has anyone explored the possibilitys of a graduated spiral rail,( to extend
> the total length ) ?
You're trying to end up with motion in a straight line. In a spiral
rail, you'd waste a lot of energy accelerating north on the south end of
the curve, then south on the north end of the curve, et cetera for every
loop.
Too bad one can't just use this to get a craft up to the Van Allen belt,
where one might economically be able to use magnets to secure the rest
of orbital velocity. (Or am I wrong, and VAbelt's bottom's altitude is
significantly less than LEO altitude?)
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