Author: Rainer Meinke

Publisher:

Published: 2006

Total Pages: 72

ISBN-13:

The conceptual design of a novel hypersonic electromagnetic launch system has been developed, which offers reliable access to space. While the concept can be scaled in both mass and launch speed, the performed study assumes a 100-kg projectile leaving the launcher at 7,000 m/sec. The projectile is propelled and levitated by electromagnetic forces inside of a low pressure tube filled with helium at about 10 torr. A fully controlled acceleration profile, which can be adjusted to meet the requirements of various missions, is used to reach 5000 gee in a 500-meter long launch tube. A constant-flux synchronous motor concept, developed under this contract, is a breakthrough technology that provides contact-free propulsion and self-centering suspension with sufficient stiffness and thrust. The use of high current, persistent mode, superconducting coils in the projectile generates high thrust force with near-zero heat dissipation. No brushes or projectile supplies are needed, eliminating contact phenomena. The low pressure helium atmosphere inside of the launch tube is proposed, which nearly eliminates both aerodynamic and heat transfer effects(force, torque and heating) due to high speed gas flow around the projectile, with large safety margins. The proposed technology therefore removes several of the technical problems that have made hypersonic electromagnetic launch unfeasible, in particular the inductive heating of the projectile when a contact-free armature is desired.