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@cuky2000: Thank you! I think Dr. McNab might have actually worked on that project. @bacon4life: I think my design might actually be OK at that voltage but it would need to get to a higher frequency. If I may ask, do you know of any way to multiply frequency at that voltage/power level...

@waross: I'm working on a small scale prototype of a low cost coilgun/rail gun hybrid with Barry from https://www.coilgun.info/about/home.htm . I've also corresponded with Ian McNab (who has done a number of space launch via railgun papers). For my design, you would want relatively high...

@itsnoked: LIPO batteries strongly outperform homopolar generators at these durations and LIPOs scale better. I was more hoping there might be a way to piggyback off of existing infrastructure instead of building millions of dollars worth?

Hello! I've been looking at different proposals for electric guns to do space launch. One commonality I've noticed between proposals a large portion of the budget going to energy storage because you needs over a megawatt per kilogram of payload even at relatively modest exit speeds. The...

Hello! I'm working with a lab at the University of Notre Dame to try to make a better material for solar sails. They've created a polyethylene/graphene nanocomposite film (paper attached) that is roughly on par with kevlar in terms of unidirectional strength (whether biaxial drawing will work...

Hello, I'm looking into the feasibility of improving the performance of momentum exchange tethers and rotary launchers using new materials. Both of these applications are strongly limited by the maximum specific strength you can get and relatively insensitive to cost ($100,000 per kg might be...

That is fair. I suppose it would be more accurate to ask: Is it better for a tensile film to have some sort of grid structure of stronger reinforcement lines (triangles, hexes or something else) or have all of the reinforcement material evenly spread out?

Hello! A friend and I were discussing how to make the best material for solar sails. The most important properties of a sail material are that it be as light as possible, smooth surface, shiny and not tear when you unfold it in space. The current state of the art 2.5 micron fluorinated...

Hello! I'm just getting started with plastics fabrication and was wondering if someone might be willing to sanity check my current plan. I am trying to build a 4 wheel robot which will be operating outside for prolonged periods and potentially crashing a lot. I am building the prototype on a...