Startram — Maglev Train To Low Earth Orbit

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Startram — Maglev Train To Low Earth Orbit

Posted by Soulskill on Friday March 9, 2012 @06:04AM from the easy-to-build-just-add-unlimited-funding dept.

Zothecula writes "Getting into space is one of the harder tasks to be taken on by humanity. The present cost of inserting a kilogram of cargo by rocket into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) is about US$10,000. A manned launch to LEO costs about $100,000 per kilogram of passenger. But who says we have to reach orbit by means of rocket propulsion alone? Instead, imagine sitting back in a comfortable magnetic levitation train and taking a train ride into orbit."

10 of 356 comments (clear)

Min score:

Reason:

Sort:

Fucking magnets by ColdWetDog · 2012-03-09 06:07 · Score: 5, Funny

Now, how is this going to work?

--
Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
1. Re:Fucking magnets by busyqth · 2012-03-09 06:12 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  200 million amperes of current running down a 1000 km long superconducting cable. In other words: it's child;s play.
2. Re:Fucking magnets by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-09 06:57 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  You can't use your laptop at take off because the rocket will fall out of the sky.
3. Re:Fucking magnets by eternaldoctorwho · 2012-03-09 07:00 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  I disagree with everything everyone said in this thread, because I am a Slashdot poster! I am a bitter pile of negativity that always contradicts or attempts to out-do the parent post. All of your opinions are false, wrong, and stupid. I know everything about the topic at hand, and you know nothing!
4. Re:Fucking magnets by fahrbot-bot · 2012-03-09 07:18 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Apparently his hemoglobin was magnetized. Yet he's now 80 and still in good health.
  Another benefit is that when you're lost, you can just float your dad in a lake as a compass...
  
  --
  It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
I can imagine quite a bit by elrous0 · 2012-03-09 06:10 · Score: 5, Funny

If I'm going to fantasize about shit that will never be built, I'd rather dream of the sexbot. Oh perfect robotic woman---who is always horny, cooks and cleans, never wants diamonds, has no parents, never drones about about some bitch at work, never cheats, never complains about wanting a bigger house or nicer car---how I dream of thee.

--
SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
1. Re:I can imagine quite a bit by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-09 06:25 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  My God! He never took middle school hygiene. He never saw the propaganda film.
  DON'T DATE ROBOTS!!!
Sodor by Oswald+McWeany · 2012-03-09 06:14 · Score: 2, Funny

So will the spaceport will be built at Sodor?

--
"That's the way to do it" - Punch
Re:Need to mag-lev a megastructure to 20km by Oswald+McWeany · 2012-03-09 06:17 · Score: 4, Funny

I can't see anything impractical or horrifically energy-intensive about this system.
That's because the article doesn't fill you in on all the important facts:
- it would be built by British Rail.

--
"That's the way to do it" - Punch
wtf? by jafac · 2012-03-09 06:38 · Score: 3, Funny

Did I accidentally browse to "Popular Science Online"?

--

These are my friends, See how they glisten. See this one shine, how he smiles in the light.