Interplanetary Launch
The launch loop is intended for launch velocities below escape, and vehicles of 5 tonnes or less. Interplanetary expeditions will require far more velocity and far larger vehicles. Large interplanetary vehicles will be assembled in orbit from many - perhaps thousands - of 5 tonne components, and fueled for escape (and eventual arrival) with hundreds of additional deliveries of propellant.
Plume Reentry
Interplanetary spacecraft will be assembled in a one-day HEEO construction orbit, with apogee at 75950 km radius, and perigee at 8378 km radius (2000 km altitude). A launch loop can launch 5 tonne vehicles and payloads to that high apogee for "kinetic energy cost", proportional to the square of the launch velocity (loop exit velocity added to earth rotation velocity, around 470 m/s at launch loop altitude).
Mean Free Path Versus Altitude |
||||||||||
Altitude |
Temp |
Mean |
. . . |
Altitude |
Temp |
Mean |
. . . |
Altitude |
Temp |
Mean |
km |
Kelvin |
km |
|
km |
K |
km |
|
km |
K |
km |
75 |
208.4 |
9.8E-7 |
|
180 |
790.1 |
0.12 |
|
500 |
999.2 |
77 |
80 |
198.6 |
4.4E-6 |
|
200 |
854.6 |
0.24 |
|
550 |
999.7 |
150 |
90 |
186.9 |
2.4E-5 |
|
250 |
941.3 |
0.89 |
|
600 |
999.9 |
280 |
100 |
195.1 |
1.4E-4 |
|
300 |
976.0 |
2.6 |
|
700 |
1000 |
730 |
120 |
360.0 |
3.3E-3 |
|
350 |
990.1 |
6.7 |
|
800 |
1000 |
1400 |
140 |
559.6 |
1.8E-2 |
|
400 |
995.8 |
16 |
|
900 |
1000 |
2100 |
160 |
626.3 |
5.3E-2 |
|
450 |
998.2 |
36 |
|
1000 |
1000 |
3100 |