Xi Jinping announces Ace Combat themed 5 year plan

While SpaceX’s reusable rockets have slashed satellite launch costs to US$3,000/kg, some scientists have estimated that an electromagnetic space launch system could drive those costs down to a mere US$60/kg.

China completely invalidating SpaceX's business model would be hilarious.

the answer to every infrastructure problem is high-speed rail

I hope they figure out how to do this with engineless commercial airliners (I know it'll never happen but it would be cool)

i hope this works and doesn't turn humans into mashed potatoes

CPC Priorities

Mass Line

Mass Driver

...but gommunsiim no innovation!!1!11!111!!

Mao Z.O.E.dong

China is building High Speed Rail To Space!!!

but at what cost?

Which Final Fantasy game am I about to be living in?

incredible things are happening in China

This is some tier shit (approving)

This sounds so sick

Yup you can tell this is a railroad to space cause the reporting is just as awful as all the reporting on Chinese trains

I wonder how they plan to handle the heat generated? Maybe you don't need the same kind of acceleration for a rail launcher than with a rail gun.

It’s not for people or it would be too long (?)

I'm usually pretty sour on space stuff but that sounds so fucking sick.

There is no space race lol china is the only one actually doing anything

Uhhh

Can someone tell me what velocity you need to launch an object at in order to reach orbit? And what accelerative forces you need in order to achieve that?

How big is this railgun? How are they handling heat from atmospheric friction? You have the same problem going up too quickly as you get coming down too quickly.

Those for FF8 - you got your remake baby!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-rocket_spacelaunch

Talk about a superpower

Meanwhile in the west, Elon Musk is blowing up launch pads because he fancies himself to be a rocket engineer.

high speed railgun

They're building The Chandelier?

Elon get fucked ...

Elon BTFO

Sure, “rockets”.

YES YES YES YES YES YES OMG I'M GONNA BLOW!!! :WHALE

https://hexbear.net/comment/4678292

SpinLaunch has been working on something like this for a few years.