Space applications for contactless coilguns

Lipinski, R.J.; Beard, S.G.; Boyes, J.D.; Cnare, E.C.; Cowan, M.; Duggin, B.W.; Kaye, R.J.; Morgan, Rhonda; Outka, Duane A.; Potter, Donald L.; Widner, M. M.; Wong, CW

doi:10.1109/20.195659

Cited by 21 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…Table 1 gives the characteristics of two published designs, the first by Marder (14), based on simplified analytical expressions, and the second, fully optimized with a design code, by Lipinski et al (15). Both envisage use fields of Ϸ24 T, similar track lengths of Ͻ1 km, and similar energy input of Ϸ65 GJ.…”

Section: T (13)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Feasibility of cooling the Earth with a cloud of small spacecraft near the inner Lagrange point (L1)

Angel

2006

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

216

171

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If it were to become apparent that dangerous changes in global climate were inevitable, despite greenhouse gas controls, active methods to cool the Earth on an emergency basis might be desirable. The concept considered here is to block 1.8% of the solar flux with a space sunshade orbited near the inner Lagrange point (L1), in-line between the Earth and sun. Following the work of J. Early [Early, JT (1989) J Br Interplanet Soc 42:567-569], transparent material would be used to deflect the sunlight, rather than to absorb it, to minimize the shift in balance out from L1 caused by radiation pressure. Three advances aimed at practical implementation are presented. First is an optical design for a very thin refractive screen with low reflectivity, leading to a total sunshade mass of Ϸ20 million tons. Second is a concept aimed at reducing transportation cost to $50͞kg by using electromagnetic acceleration to escape Earth's gravity, followed by ion propulsion. Third is an implementation of the sunshade as a cloud of many spacecraft, autonomously stabilized by modulating solar radiation pressure. These meter-sized ''flyers'' would be assembled completely before launch, avoiding any need for construction or unfolding in space. They would weigh a gram each, be launched in stacks of 800,000, and remain for a projected lifetime of 50 years within a 100,000-km-long cloud. The concept builds on existing technologies. It seems feasible that it could be developed and deployed in Ϸ25 years at a cost of a few trillion dollars, <0.5% of world gross domestic product (GDP) over that time.geoengineering ͉ global warming ͉ space sunshade P rojections by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change are for global temperature to rise between 1.5 and 4.5°C by 2100 (1), but recent studies suggest a larger range of uncertainty. Increases as high as 11°C might be possible given CO 2 stabilizing at twice preindustrial content (2). Holding to even this level of CO 2 will require major use of alternative energy sources and improvements in efficiency (3). Unfortunately, global warming reasonably could be expected to take the form of abrupt and unpredictable changes, rather than a gradual increase (4). If it were to become apparent over the next decade or two that disastrous climate change driven by warming was in fact likely or even in progress, then a method to reduce the sun's heat input would become an emergency priority. A 1.8% reduction is projected to fully reverse the warming effect of a doubling of CO 2 (5), although not the chemical effects.One way known to reduce heat input, observed after volcanic eruptions, is to increase aerosol scattering in the stratosphere (6). Deployment of 3 to 5 million tons͞year of sulfur would be needed to mitigate a doubling of CO 2 . This amount is not incompatible with a major reduction in the current atmospheric sulfur pollution of 55 million tons͞year that goes mostly into the troposphere. The approach we examine here to reduce solar warming is to scatter away sunlight in space before it enters the Ear...

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Section: T (13)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Feasibility of cooling the Earth with a cloud of small spacecraft near the inner Lagrange point (L1)

Angel

2006

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

216

171

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“…51 Electromagnetic Systems. The electromagnetic launch systems include electromagnetic "guns" such as the rail gun 54 and mass driver (coil gun), 55 and the launch assist catapult magnetic levitation (MagLifter) launcher. 56 As with the canon, the rail gun is inherently limited to high-acceleration, small payload projectiles; by contrast, the mass driver and MagLifter are scalable to longer lengths and larger projectiles (payloads).…”

Section: Types Of Launch Assist Catapultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Advanced Propulsion for the XXIst Century

Frisbee

2003

AIAA International Air and Space Symposium and Exposition: The Next 100 Years

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This paper presents an overview of advanced space propulsion concepts and their research activities at the beginning of the 21 st Century. If successfully developed, these concepts will enable in the coming decades the implementation of propulsion technologies that will reduce the cost of access to space and/or enable aggressive exploration, and ultimately exploitation of the Solar System and beyond. This paper focuses primarily on mid-to far-term in-space propulsion applications, although advanced launch concepts (e.g., launch assist catapults) are also discussed briefly.Examples of advanced propulsion concepts to be discussed include advanced chemical propulsion (high-energy density materials, gelled propellants, etc.), nuclear propulsion (fission, fusion, and antimatter annihilation), electric propulsion (solar-and nuclearelectric propulsion power systems and electric propulsion thrusters), micropropulsion, beamed-energy propulsion (e.g., solar/laser/microwave thermal/electric combinations), beamed-momentum propulsion (e.g., solar/laser/microwave sails, electromagnetic/plasma sails), aero/gravity assist, launch assist catapults, tethers (momentum exchange and electrodynamic), extraterrestrial resource utilization, and breakthrough physics propulsion.

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“…It rapidly accelerates ferromagnetic projectiles using electrical energy converted to kinetic energy. Electromagnetic science has contributed to many applications, such as Earth-to-orbit (ETO) microsatellite systems [1]; powerful launchers that can propel small satellites to settle at low Earth orbit [2]; low-speed and high-speed trains, high-speed, long-range fire support naval guns, and direct satellite launch to space [3]; launch of lunar liquid oxygen (LLOX) from the Moon to the stationary Lagrangian point L2 [4]; and electromagnetic guns [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Many stages must be used to accelerate the projectile to ultra-high speed, making the launcher extremely long. For instance, Sandia researchers [4] designed very long barrels and solenoids to increase the projectile's velocity. They built a 960 m long launcher that launched a package carrying a 600 kg satellite and a 1220 kg boost rocket for orbital insertion with 2000 gees.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Design of A New Electromagnetic Launcher Based on the Magnetic Reluctance Control for the Propulsion of Aircraft-Mounted Microsatellites

Abdo,

El-Hussieny,

Miyashita

et al. 2023

ASI

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Recent developments in electromagnetic launchers have created potential applications in transportation, space, and defense systems. However, the total efficiency of these launchers has yet to be fully realized and optimized. Therefore, this paper introduces a new design idea based on increasing the magnetic flux lines that facilitate high output velocity without adding any excess energy. This design facilitates obtaining a mathematical equation for the launcher inductance which is difficult to analytically represent. This modification raises the launcher efficiency to 36% higher than that of the ordinary launcher at low operating voltage. The proposed design has proven its superiority to traditional launchers, which are limited in their ability to accelerate microsatellites from the ground to low Earth orbit due to altitude and velocity constraints. Therefore, an aircraft is used as a flying launchpad to carry the launcher and bring it to the required height to launch. Meanwhile, it is demonstrated experimentally that magnetic dipoles in the projectile material allow the launcher coil’s magnetic field to accelerate the projectile. This system consists of the launcher coil that must be triggered with a high amplitude current from the high DC voltage capacitor bank. In addition, a microcontroller unit controls all processes, including the capacitor bank charging, triggering, and velocity measurement.

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Space applications for contactless coilguns

Cited by 21 publications

References 3 publications

Feasibility of cooling the Earth with a cloud of small spacecraft near the inner Lagrange point (L1)

Feasibility of cooling the Earth with a cloud of small spacecraft near the inner Lagrange point (L1)

Advanced Propulsion for the XXIst Century

Design of A New Electromagnetic Launcher Based on the Magnetic Reluctance Control for the Propulsion of Aircraft-Mounted Microsatellites

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