Jules Verne's tech to be used for space missions!

[AE35Unit]

Amazing,but check out the Gs generated!
PhysOrg Mobile: Space cannon to shoot payloads into orbit (w/ Video)

 

[Moonbat]

Wow, sounds amazing. But I doubt the project will ever make it off the ground

 

[chrispenycate]

The trouble with getting anything up to escape velocity or higher low down is the energy lost to atmospheric friction. It makes no difference if you're using a linear accelerator, a chemical cannon or a big crossbow; you're going to vaporise half your vehicle, and all that energy is lost as velocity.

Even if you run your barrel/track up to the top of a mountain there's too much air above you, and diminishing returns since friction increases much faster than speed.

Perhaps as the first stage, pushing a rocket or Laserlifter up to a good starting velocity, so their inboard propulsion system could take over from there?

Of course, if you could mount the cannon in a very big zeppelin, and use a proportion of the lifting gasses as fuel…

 

[Ursa major]

Whereas they're talking about it being literally at sea level.

(They do, though, mention an on-board means of propulsion.)

 

[Omphalos]

I think Saddam tried this once too.

 

[AE35Unit]

I think Saddam tried this once too.

Hussein? Did you know he was a big Star Wars fan and even wrote a SF novel!