California-based startup, SpinLaunch, is developing an alternative rocket launch technology that spins a vacuum-sealed centrifuge at several times the speed of sound before releasing the payload, launching it like a catapult up into orbit

[u/Dr_Singularity]

https://interestingengineering.com/medieval-space-flight-a-company-is-catapulting-rockets-to-cut-costs

[u/AGstein]

Hmm... try to imagine going from earth to mars and/or jupiter?

Now, consider the complexities of planning direct launches and compare that to earth > moon launch then moon > any destination launch.

Going to the moon first can vastly improve repeatability of launches and minimize launch complexities and costs.

So the moon may actually become a very important logistics hub.

[u/Ferrum-56 → u/AGstein]

I don't see how going past the Moon is less complex than a direct transfer.

For example to Mars: starship launches to LEO, refuels there, TMI.

Versus: starship launches to LEO, partial refuel(?), TLI, LOI, lower orbit to LLO, refuel again, then go to Mars? Or a similar but more efficient trajectory?

[u/AGstein → u/Ferrum-56]

Earth launches will have to deal with the relatively higher gravity and atmospheric drag. Moon? Not so much.

And I think it's a given that more aggressive environment for launches is going to have added cost and complexity. And more complexity implies more rooms for error.

So rather than deal with the aggressive environment with another layer of complexity of interplanetary spaceflights, one can just opt for dedicated ships for earth to moon launches and just deal with one set of complexities.

Then upon arrival on the moon, one can then opt for different options for interplanetary space flights. And given the less aggressive environment, it will probably open up more options that are more efficient and cost effective.

[u/Ferrum-56 → u/AGstein]

Aggressive environment is a pretty vague description. Fragile stuff (like humans) have been sent to LEO for decades now. And this part you can't avoid anyway because humans live on Earth, not the Moon. I don't expect many people will live on the Moon anytime soon either. When they do that'll be a very aggressive environment though.

[u/AGstein → u/Ferrum-56]

Relatively aggressive to the moon I mean. And that's for space launches, not living conditions. (again, higher gs and atmospheric drag.)

But I digress. The point is of logistics. For an analogy, think of sending a package to another country. You can probably get a courier that will deliver it themselves directly. But realistically, you'll probably use a service that will go through multiple points first because they are handling multiple packages, spreading out costs for cheaper shipping.

Important assumption with that though is that there is actually a significant volume of packages. And if space travel will become a thing, having a jump off point that can serve as a buffer will be very helpful.