Startram — Maglev Train To Low Earth Orbit

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."

Fucking magnets

[ColdWetDog]

Now, how is this going to work?

I can imagine quite a bit

[elrous0]

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.

Re:Fucking magnets

[busyqth]

200 million amperes of current running down a 1000 km long superconducting cable. In other words: it's child;s play.

Sodor

[Oswald McWeany]

So will the spaceport will be built at Sodor?

Re:Need to mag-lev a megastructure to 20km

[Oswald McWeany]

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.

Re:I can imagine quite a bit

[Anonymous Coward]

My God! He never took middle school hygiene. He never saw the propaganda film.

DON'T DATE ROBOTS!!!

wtf?

[jafac]

Did I accidentally browse to "Popular Science Online"?

Re:Fucking magnets

[Anonymous Coward]

You can't use your laptop at take off because the rocket will fall out of the sky.

Re:Fucking magnets

[eternaldoctorwho]

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!

Re:Fucking magnets

[fahrbot-bot]

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...