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ETG used to Launch Rocket

Posted: Thu Jul 11, 2013 10:19 pm
by sagthegreat
My radical idea for today is: Would Using a ETG cannon type setup where a metal is turned into plasma be enough to propel a rocket. THe rocket will be brought to 100k feet by weather balloon, then the charged capacitor bank will set off the plasma reaction and propel the rocket?

Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2013 12:08 am
by POLAND_SPUD
my question why not launch a rocket using large amounts of TNT... which in turn fires a cannon... which fires a large weather balloon... that then fires a TOW missile which in turn fires another rocket ? :lol:


now seriously - just use traditional propelants - save weight and reduce complexity

is it really a serious project ?? I have some doubts - last time I checked launching rockets was somewhat regulated in the US and A so your weather balloon and an ETG launching a freaking rocket seems almost as legal as a weather balloon with a rocket launched using conventional methods so why overcomplicate stuff ??

Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2013 10:03 am
by sagthegreat
Because the Capaciter Bank could be sepeate, and not attached to the rocket, reducing weight, also I could fill it with helium too, so the plasma along with superhot helium at high pressure shoots out of the nozzle. I want to enter the international science fair, so i am looking for a innovative idea like this

Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2013 2:47 pm
by D_Hall
Whooooboy....

A balloon to 100 kft with a rocket payload.

A gun firing a pyrotechnic payload.

The legal mess alone (you're going to be dealing with both the FAA and ATF) should be enough to convince anyone who doesn't have a team of lawyers on retainer to just walk away from this one. Or you could go for it and accept that you'll likely be paying six figure fines and possibly jail time if you publish (read: admit that you did it).

Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2013 5:13 pm
by PVC Arsenal 17
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-rocket_spacelaunch

Here's a list of innovative ideas. ETG's are a bit over-the-top for a thing like this.

Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2013 6:40 pm
by mark.f
six figure fines
roflmbao

Posted: Sat Jul 13, 2013 9:00 pm
by sagthegreat
D_Hall wrote:Whooooboy....

A balloon to 100 kft with a rocket payload.

A gun firing a pyrotechnic payload.

The legal mess alone (you're going to be dealing with both the FAA and ATF) should be enough to convince anyone who doesn't have a team of lawyers on retainer to just walk away from this one. Or you could go for it and accept that you'll likely be paying six figure fines and possibly jail time if you publish (read: admit that you did it).
I read it, the gun doesn't fire the rocket, the rocket is essantially an egg gun turned upside down with nozzles and fins

Posted: Sun Jul 14, 2013 2:43 am
by D_Hall
sagthegreat wrote:I read it, the gun doesn't fire the rocket, the rocket is essantially an egg gun turned upside down with nozzles and fins
Ah.... Didn't read it right. OK, fair enough... Still some FAA requirements to be met.

Posted: Sun Jul 14, 2013 5:33 am
by dart guy
bad idea...
i like it but that would be a serious amount of heat

Posted: Sun Jul 14, 2013 1:02 pm
by sagthegreat
dart guy wrote:bad idea...
i like it but that would be a serious amount of heat
Hence y I'm considering also filling it up with co2 and putting a burst disk on the nozzle, the heat will dissipate in the co2 while also increasing the pressure exponantially..

Posted: Tue Jul 16, 2013 2:55 pm
by matti
Some electrically powered propulsion: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulsed_plasma_thruster

and,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocket_eng ... ly_powered

Not sure how would you get the ET reaction to last for some practical time for propelling the rocket. Also the presumably high pressure of the reaction would make it necessary to have a large rocket nozzle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocket_engine_nozzle)