The Suborbital Accelerator used in the October 2021 test flight contained the widest near-vacuum chamber ever built, about 33 meters (108 feet) across. The next version of the accelerator, which SpinLaunch hopes to have up and running by 2025, will have a chamber that is more than three times as wide. This system, called the Orbital Accelerator, will reach speeds of up to 8,000 kph (5,000 mph)—more than six times the speed of sound. That’s fast enough to send a vehicle to the edge of Earth’s atmosphere. At that point, a small rocket engine would ignite and push the craft into the right path to release a payload of satellites into orbit around Earth (see Up, Up, and Away).
Wrenn compares the new launch system to placing a step-ladder under a basketball net to make it easier to dunk the ball. “SpinLaunch is basically building a shortcut to space,” he says. This system’s simple design also makes it possible to have multiple launches each day.
While the new system shows promise, it won’t completely replace the need for ground-based rockets. For example, the kinetic launch system can’t be used to send astronauts to space. That’s because the human body can’t withstand the system’s intense spinning forces. Its launch vehicle can’t carry large payloads, either. But it is perfect for ferrying smaller satellites, such as ones used to provide internet access to remote areas. “People on Earth can really benefit from having easier access to space,” says Wrenn.