And in this case, even before that, China's rabbit is to develop an electromagnetic railgun to launch 50-tonne crewed spacecraft into orbit, and the challenges are daunting.
With the demand for more efficient and cost-effective methods of launching spacecraft into orbit, China has set its sights on developing an electromagnetic railgun as a potential solution. This ambitious project, known as the
This requires not only developing a spacecraft that is compatible with such a railgun, but also a launcher that can handle the force, vibrations, and other factors to ensure the safety of human passengers. While NASA has studied similar systems, their focus has primarily been on transporting heavy, unmanned payloads.
The task of developing this space railgun is incredibly daunting. It will not only involve scaling up the technology, but also major advancements in various areas such as control systems, power sources, and building materials. Additionally, the railgun would need to be at least five miles long to reach Mach 1.6 with passengers and even longer for Mach 5, making it the largest vacuum chamber ever constructed. It would require a nuclear power plant to generate the necessary energy, and a new type of supercapacitor to store it. This would require not only significant engineering breakthroughs, but also the development of a whole new industrial infrastructure.
As the saying goes, first catch your rabbit. And in this case, China's rabbit is to develop an electromagnetic railgun, and the magnitude of this task is truly remarkable.