When a rocket launches a payload into orbit, the overwhelming majority of its weight at launch is just fuel. After decades of space travel, a company called Longshot Space hopes to unlock a more efficient way to launch satellites into orbit.
The plan: Shoot satellites into space with the world’s biggest gun. To accomplish this, Longshot is designing its cannons to accelerate payloads using compressed gas. Unlike regular guns, which use one sudden burst, Longshot uses multiple bursts of gas to accelerate its projectiles through a barrel that, in its final form, will be miles long.
Launching satellites this way also requires satellites capable of withstanding the shock. The company believes it is possible, but indicates that traveling by gunshot is probably not feasible for sensitive cargo, especially human beings.
That didn’t stop our contributor Andy Altman from climbing inside the barrel of one of these guns. To see his in-depth tour of Longshot Space, check out the video in this article.
Jesse Orrall
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