2015-01-26

Final one: anything launched by a railgun (if you could ever reach ~ Mach 27) would explode upon exiting the barrel in our dense atmosphere

Ion thrusters are great, but have extremely tiny force (photon thruster even less). Must have more thrust than weight or you don't go up.

Ion thrusters are great, but have extremely tiny force (photon thruster even less). Must have more thrust than weight or you don't go up.

And pls don't ask me about space elevators until someone at least builds a carbon nanotube structure longer than a footbridge

Reason is Newton's Third Law. In vacuum, there is nothing to "push" against. You must react against ejected mass.

Reason is Newton's Third Law. In vacuum, there is nothing to "push" against. You must react against ejected mass.

If u saw @TheSimpsons and wonder why @SpaceX doesn't use an electric rocket to reach orbit, it is cuz that is impossible

If u saw @TheSimpsons and wonder why @SpaceX doesn't use an electric rocket to reach orbit, it is cuz that is impossible