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AlexanderDupre: 4 months ago

Rather than spending millions on fuel for rockets, is it at all possible to launch something into space via something like a slingshot?

Most of a rocket is one huge fuel tank. The actual ship is far smaller, and lighter.

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Answer 1

29md29: 4 months ago

Depends on what you mean by "space." You can launch an arrow upward with a bow, but it will come back down when it's upward flight is stopped by the force of gravity. If you want to put a satellite into orbit or go to Mars, you have to escape the gravitational pull of the earth. That means you have to attain "escape velocity" which is around 25,000 miles per hour. So far only large rockets can generate enough acceleration to send a capsule into orbit or to Mars, etc..

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Answer 2

dunczn: 4 months ago

I don't believe something like that is possible or even feasible. This is because a rocket needs a lot of energy to escape earth's gravitational pull, something that a slingshot or similar contraption cannot provide. But, you can never quite rule out anything because none of us knows what the future holds.

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AlexanderDupre: 4 months ago

I was actually thinking more along the lines of a bullet from a gun, but the word slingshot came to mind first, lol. If something can be lifted off the ground at all, wouldn't the gravitation pull of the earth lessen, the further you are from the surface?

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lonejoe: 4 months ago | Last edited at 12:10AM on 2/26/2013

Yeah, they are testing some technology like that right now to launch airplanes from ships in the ocean. It's kind of like the rail gun design, using electro magnets to propel an object forward with great speed. I'm sure there are ideas on how to use this to launch a space craft into space safely.

The design is called EMALS or electromagnetic aircraft launch system,

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