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Rocket company develops massive catapult to launch satellites into space without using jet fuel: '10,000 times the force of Earth's gravity'


SpinLaunch is developing a large rotating arm that uses kinetic energy to fling 440-pound satellites into low orbit.

"This is not a rocket, and clearly our ability to perform in just 11 months this many tests and have them all function as planned, really is a testament to the nature of our technology," founder and CEO Jonathan Yaney said in a Space.com report from 2022, shortly after a 10th successful launch. Pumpkin chucking, commonly called Punkin Chunkin, contests remain a popular way to teach kinetic and potential energy physics with similar human-made machines. "Modern electronics, materials, and simulation tools allow for satellites to be adapted to the kinetic launch environment with relative ease," the company states on its website.

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