Mutant Palm

“Wenjiang Yang and his colleagues from the Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics and the Chinese Academy of Sciences have investigated the possibility of the “Maglifter,” a maglev launch assist vehicle originally proposed in the 1980s. In this system, a spaceship would be magnetically levitated over a track and accelerated up an incline, lifting off when it reaches a velocity of 1,000 km/hr (620 miles/hr). The main cost-saving areas would come from reduced fuel consumption and the reduced mass of the spaceship. “

physorg (h/t Futurismic)

NASA was examining the feasibility of maglev launchers a few years ago, but it is unclear whether funding has continued. Meanwhile, the US Navy has been using the same technology for a rail gun.

image courtesy of Stanford University Libraries. China Illustrata images also available at NYPL. Or you can buy your very own 345 year old copy at the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America website for $6,000. You can also visit the Athanasius Kircher Society on the web (blocked in China).

Welcome to Mutant Palm.