A Research Program to Study Airborne Launch to Space

Researchers supported by a multiuniversity research initiative award from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research are studying the technical issues involved in an airborne electromagnetic launch to space of small payload masses. The payload mass under consideration (1-10 kg) is much smaller than in earlier studies of launch to space, where payloads of ges1000 kg required a substantial and expensive ground-based launch facility. The lower mass now being evaluated allows all components-launcher and power supplies-to be scaled down, so that power and energy ratings and component masses are considerably reduced. To offset the aerothermal heating of the small projectile as it transits the atmosphere at >7 km/s, the entire launch system may be mounted on a large cargo aircraft and airlifted to a high altitude, where lower air density reduces the aerothermal loads to a feasible level. Such an electromagnetic launcher and pulsed power supply system could fit in a large aircraft, such as a C-5B or A-380F