Motivation for a near term gun launch to space demonstration and a variable inductance power supply concept to minimize initial demonstration costs

摘要

The history of the gun launch to space (GLTS) concept is briefly reviewed, along with recent progress and motivations for a near-term launch demonstration. A current multiplying reconfigurable inductor design is developed which could couple to an existing battery system to power a GLTS railgun demonstration at the 300-MJ muzzle energy level. The design is developed using proven approaches and performance levels, and it appears capable of reducing the power supply cost for an initial GLTS demonstration below that of a simple battery-charged inductor system.