Cannon to fire a projectile into space

[Baron von Richthofen]

Is it possible for specially built cannon (2M diameter) to fire a projectile into space, a cheep way to put things into orbit if it could stand the g forces:face:

[that_guy]

a phaser canon??

[tlgerdes]

It is not souch the diameter of the canon, but how long the barrel would have to be. The forces placed on the payload if shot out of a regular canon, would generally crush most payloads.

They had thought railguns might initially achieve this, but the are worse on payload.

The idea is OK, but the barrel would have to be a couple of KMs long and a steady ramp up of speed is needed.

[Baron von Richthofen]

A 3K mine shaft sounds like it would do the job for the barrel, so it is possible

[Spanrz]

You would have to have a very long burning fuel/charge, to keep up the speed until exit of the barrel.
I would have a guess that gravity would take over as soon as the charge stopped burning.
Also when it stops burning, it cools (the air) and would create a vacuum, defeating the charges propulsion.
It would have to keep burning until it left the shaft/barrel. Unless you had a design of venting or constant charges along the shaft.

One for Mythbusters?

[supernova1965]

Would a magnetic drive work :confused2:

[avandonk]

Electromagnetic rail guns are far more efficient. Your explosive charge with load has to expand at well above escape velocity sustainably.

This one in the same warehouse as the ultra light and ultra strong tether tied to an orbiting sattellite to be used as a lift ...

This warehouse is full of ideas that do not work due to a simple law of the Universe.

There is no free lunch in our Universe!

Otherwise the spiders would be in orbit as they have had 300 million years to work it out. Actually Golden Orb Spiders fly from continent to continent on an extended web when they are very small on the high altitude jet streams. They have been ahead of us for a very long time!

Bert

[TrevorW]

Has been done 100kgs projectile to 180klm

refer HARP see this article

http://lifeboat.com/em/chapter.1.pdf

[Spanrz]

Yes, Magnetics will be the answer, that slipped my mind Warren!...:whistle: :doh:

I've ridden on a Magentic Drive roller coaster, that is just so awesome.
So I know what its capable of.

This was a question I have often wondered myself.

Also, there is similar thing here, worth a laugh. Just an old concept of Canon technology.
A nuclear projectile isn't such a great idea out of a cannon.

Short range (stupid though, might as well be a kamikaze)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khyZI3RK2lE&feature=related

Longer Range
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qwsG2TRJiU&feature=related

[supernova1965]

What is that like and is there one in australia:D

[Spanrz]

http://www.rcdb.com/424.htm
None in OZ :(

I got stuck on this ride, right where the carriage is in this photo and of course, I was in the first carriage, we were up there for 10 minutes.
Had a habit of breaking down. (http://www.gregscoasterphotos.com/images/gad/chilltopside.jpg)

And the funniest thing you'd hear about, because I have one eye, my fake eye nearly fell out due to the G forces. I had to cover up my eye socket just before takeoff. :lol::eyepop:

[TrevorW]

The High Altitude Research Program (HARP) was
funded by McGill University, under the direction of
Gerald Bull, and the U.S. Army Ballistic Research
Laboratory, under the direction of Charles Murphy. The
goal of the program was to develop a low-cost method
of conducting atmospheric and space research.
HARP produced cannon launch altitude records that
have yet to be broken. The highest apogee, achieved
not just once, but 15 times during a four-day period in
1966, was 180 km. The mass of the rocket-shaped
projectiles launched to this altitude was 100 kg, and the
muzzle speed was 2100 m/s. This altitude is well above
the conventional definition of the threshold of space,
100 km, and in fact above the altitude that is necessary
for a satellite to orbit without excessive atmospheric drag, 150 km.