ADVANCED PROPULSION CONCEPTS A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z                    HOME ABOUT CATEGORIES SITE MAP COPYRIGHT ADVERTISE CONTACT entire Web this site magnetic levitation launch-assist A method of getting spacecraft off the ground using magnets to accelerate a vehicle along a track. Just as powerful magnets lift and propel high-speed trains and roller-coasters above a guideway, a magnetic levitation (maglev) launch-assist system would electromagnetically drive a space vehicle along a track. The spacecraft would be boosted to speeds of about 1,000 km/h before switching to rocket engines for the climb into orbit. A 15-meter track was built at the Marshall Space Flight Center in mid-1999 for testing and design analysis of maglev concepts for space propulsion. Scaled demonstrations of maglev technology will be conducted on a 120-m track also planned at Marshall. Related category    • ADVANCED PROPULSION CONCEPTS Also on this site: Encyclopedia of Alternative Energy & Sustainable Living Encyclopedia of History Transport Concepts & Designs (partner site) BACK TO TOP