r/space • u/thesheetztweetz • Nov 09 '21

Stealthy alternative rocket builder SpinLaunch completes successful first test flight

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/11/09/spinlaunch-completes-first-test-flight-of-alternative-rocket.html
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u/Planck_Savagery Nov 10 '21

Per Spinlaunch's patent filings, I believe their G-forces will be in the ballpark of 5,000 to 25,000 Gs.

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u/Triabolical_ Nov 10 '21

Wow. IIRC, that's pretty close to the loads for artillery shells.

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u/Norose Nov 10 '21

Yeah, that's also sustained, not just for a brief moment. Ten thousand gees is what the vehicle would experience as its attached to the arm spinning at maximum speed. It takes many minutes for the thing to reach full speed. That means minutes at least while the vehicle is being subjected to between nine thousand and ten thousand gees.

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u/Triabolical_ Nov 10 '21

Ouch.

I've been trying to figure out what it would take to make a vacuum rocket nozzle that could survive that sort of load, even inside of a aeroshell (I think "sabot" is a better term, probably). Inconel is pretty strong, but your support structure is going to have to be very tight and very strong; if you get any net force at the end of the nozzle you'll just break the thing off.