Camel Pilot writes: SpinLaunch is developing a launch system that uses kinetic energy as a cheap method to launch a projectile into orbit. They propose using a vacuum-sealed centrifuge spinning the projectile at near escape velocity speeds and releasing into orbit. A rocket engine would still be used to maneuver and position the satellite. They have built a 1/10th scale prototype in the New Mexican desert and have already launched test objects 10s of thousands of feet. In a recent interview, CEO Jonathan Yaney said: “I find that the more audacious and crazy the project is, the better off you are just working on it — rather than being out there talking about it. We had to prove to ourselves that we could actually pull this off.”
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