Electromagnetic launchers for space applications

Author

Schroeder, J.M. ; Gully, J.H. ; Driga, M.D.

Author_Institution

Center for Electromech., Texas Univ., Austin, TX, USA

Volume

25

Issue

1

fYear

1989

fDate

1/1/1989 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

504

Lastpage

507

Abstract

An electromagnetic launcher (EML) was designed for NASA-Langley to boost large models to hypervelocity for flight evaluation. Two different concepts were developed using railgun and coilgun principles. A coilgun was designed to accelerate a 14-kg mass to 6 km/s and, by adding additional equipment, to accelerate a 10-kg mass to 11 km/s. The railgun system was designed to accelerate only 14 kg to 6 km/s. Of significance in this development is the opportunity to use the launcher for aeroballistic research of the upper atmosphere, eventually placing packages in low Earth orbit using a small rocket. The authors describe the railgun and coilgun launch designs and suggest a reconfiguration for placement of 150-kg parcels into low Earth orbit for aeroballistic studies and possible space lab support. Each design is detailed along with the performance adjustments which would be required for circular orbit payload placement

Keywords

aerospace propulsion; atmospheric techniques; ballistics; electromagnetic launchers; rockets; space research; upper atmosphere; EM launchers; EML; NASA-Langley; aeroballistic research; circular orbit payload placement; coilgun; electromagnetic launcher; flight evaluation; hypervelocity; low Earth orbit; performance adjustments; railgun; small rocket; space applications; space lab support; upper atmosphere; Acceleration; Atmosphere; Coilguns; Electromagnetic launching; Electromagnetic modeling; Low earth orbit satellites; Packaging machines; Payloads; Railguns; Rockets;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9464

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/20.22590

Filename

22590