Can We Throw Satellites to Space? - SpinLaunch

Real Engineering・2 minutes read

Spinlaunch is developing a space catapult to subvert the rocket equation by reducing the amount of fuel needed, using carbon fiber technology for their tether design and vacuum chamber. They aim to achieve high speeds and offer a launch price significantly lower than competitors, facing challenges in scaling up their technology and securing patents.

Insights

  • Spinlaunch is developing a revolutionary space catapult that aims to reduce the amount of fuel needed for rockets by spinning them in a centrifugal mass accelerator under vacuum, with carbon fiber playing a crucial role in their tether design to support the weight of 100 million kilograms.
  • Spinlaunch's innovative vacuum chamber technology, which operates at high speeds and tight tolerances using a combination of pumps, allows for maintaining a high atmospheric chamber rather than a true vacuum, crucial for their aerothermal needs, and enables the rapid sealing of the chamber after launch using a double-door airlock system to maintain vacuum integrity for multiple launches per day.

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Recent questions

  • What is Spinlaunch and its goal?

    Spinlaunch is a project involving a space catapult aiming to reduce the amount of fuel needed for rockets by spinning a small rocket in a centrifugal mass accelerator under vacuum to achieve high speeds before releasing it to reach orbit.

  • Why is carbon fiber used in Spinlaunch's tether?

    Carbon fiber reinforced plastic is used in Spinlaunch's tether due to its unmatched strength-to-weight ratio and availability in industrial quantities, crucial for supporting the weight of 100 million kilograms in the orbital system.

  • How does Spinlaunch maintain vacuum in its chamber?

    Spinlaunch maintains vacuum in its chamber by utilizing a series of pumps, including roots pumps, turbomolecular pumps, and vapor diffusion pumps, to draw a vacuum and remove bulk gas, ensuring the chamber is at the desired pressure level for launch.

  • What challenges does Spinlaunch face with its prototype launcher?

    Spinlaunch's prototype launcher faces challenges like vibration due to uneven weight distribution, which is solved by releasing a balanced counterweight to address issues during launch and ensure stability.

  • How does Spinlaunch recapture electricity during launch?

    Spinlaunch recaptures electricity stored as kinetic energy in the tether, reducing electricity costs and enhancing the efficiency of the launch system, contributing to the project's goal of reducing fuel consumption and costs.

Related videos

Summary

00:00

"Spinlaunch: Revolutionizing Space Travel with Carbon Fiber"

  • A group of welders, heavy machine operators, and builders were brought together during a global pandemic to work on a mysterious structure called Spinlaunch, a space catapult.
  • Spinlaunch aims to subvert the rocket equation by reducing the amount of fuel needed for rockets, which typically consist of over 90% fuel.
  • Spinlaunch plans to spin a small rocket in a centrifugal mass accelerator under vacuum to achieve high speeds before releasing it to reach orbit.
  • Project Harp achieved a similar launch velocity to Spinlaunch's planned launch, but scaling up the technology for larger payloads requires Spinlaunch's technology.
  • Spinlaunch's engineers are facing immense challenges and require new key enabling technologies, with carbon fiber playing a central role in their tether design.
  • Carbon fiber reinforced plastic is being used for Spinlaunch's tether due to its unmatched strength-to-weight ratio and availability in industrial quantities.
  • The tether for Spinlaunch's orbital system needs to support a weight of 100 million kilograms, requiring a hefty piece of carbon composite with a cross-sectional area of at least 0.23 meters squared.
  • Spinlaunch's vacuum chamber is crucial for spinning the tether at high speeds without aerodynamic heating, and it was built at a fraction of the cost of traditional aerospace vacuum chambers.
  • Spinlaunch's vacuum chamber does not require extreme levels of vacuum like traditional aerospace chambers, allowing the use of cheaper materials like mild steel.
  • The process of drawing a vacuum involves removing bulk gas using pumps, with molecular flow requiring turbomolecular pumps that operate at high speeds and tight tolerances.

14:22

"Spinlaunch: Vacuum Chamber Challenges and Solutions"

  • The roots pump operates at 30 millibars below atmospheric pressure but cannot reach one atmosphere, supported by a piston pump.
  • Nine Edwards GSX pumps and a piston pump are activated initially, followed by a series of roots pumps when pressure reaches 30 millibars.
  • Vapor diffusion pumps are utilized below one millibar pressure, functioning like oil jets to capture air molecules and condense them out.
  • Vacuum levels are described in torr, with the desired pressure being equivalent to 0.01 millibar or 0.1 millibar, not a hard vacuum.
  • Spinlaunch aims to maintain a high atmospheric chamber rather than a true vacuum, crucial for their aerothermal needs.
  • Spinlaunch focuses on sealing the vacuum chamber quickly after launch to prevent air from rushing in, utilizing a double-door airlock system.
  • The airlock system is vital for maintaining vacuum integrity, allowing for multiple launches per day without significant energy and time costs.
  • Spinlaunch's prototype launcher faces challenges like vibration due to uneven weight distribution, solved by releasing a balanced counterweight.
  • The launcher must address the issue of the aeroshell entering the atmosphere at Mach 6, requiring significant power for spin-up.
  • Spinlaunch estimates a power demand of up to 150 megawatts for their orbital system, necessitating careful energy planning and sourcing.

26:15

"Spinlaunch: Innovative Rocket Technology at Lower Cost"

  • Spinlaunch rockets require 30% less fuel and oxidizer compared to competitors, with miniaturized components.
  • Spinlaunch replaces the first stage of traditional rockets with a reusable kinetic launch system.
  • Spinlaunch recaptures electricity stored as kinetic energy in the tether, reducing electricity costs.
  • The weight limit for Spinlaunch is determined by the tether's capacity, prompting a focus on maximizing aeroshell density.
  • Ballistic coefficient, a measure of resistance to air, is crucial for Spinlaunch's design.
  • Spinlaunch uses copper and aluminum in the aeroshell for heat absorption during launch at Mach 6.
  • The carbon fiber shell of the aeroshell is robust and reusable, with minimal refurbishment needed.
  • Drag coefficient decreases at hypersonic speeds, aiding Spinlaunch's trajectory through the atmosphere.
  • Spinlaunch aims for a launch price of $2500 per kilogram, significantly lower than competitors.
  • Spinlaunch faces challenges in scaling up their technology and securing patents for their solutions.

39:53

"Interactive course on kinetic energy launch systems"

  • Real Engineering has partnered with Brilliant to offer an interactive course delving into the physics and calculations behind kinetic energy launch systems, including the necessary launch speeds and tether design considerations. This course allows viewers to deepen their understanding of orbit physics and rocket launches, with the opportunity to access Brilliant's other STEM courses, kickstarting a coding career or enhancing scientific thinking, with a 20% discount for the first 500 subscribers.
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