Design and operation of a high-energy railgun facility

A high-energy railgun range has recently been put into operation. Projectiles are fired straight down into a target chamber 45-m underground. After discussing the design philosophy, the authors describe the railgun, the bore-finishing and gauging, the solid armatures, the buswork, and the breech access. It is concluded that the different components of the range are designed not just for safety and to function well but for operational convenience as well.<
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