XPost: sci.space.policy   
   From: tmcd@panix.com   
      
   In article ,   
   Henry Spencer  wrote:   
   >Note that you would need a small rocket stage in the projectile,   
   >because an Earth-surface catapult *cannot* put something directly   
   >into orbit -- it can reach only orbits that intersect the atmosphere,   
   >so a bit of rocket fuel is needed to finish the job.   
      
   Um, I'm feeling a bit smart-alecky in pointing out that a catapult   
   *can* put something directly into a long-term stable orbit --   
   it simply has an eccentricity greater than 1, alias a hyperbolic orbit   
   ..   
      
   Also, it can put something into a closed orbit -- it just won't orbit   
   more than *once* ...   
      
   May I suggest "an Earth-surface catapult *cannot* put something   
   directly into a long-term closed orbit"?   
      
   --   
   Tim McDaniel, tmcd@panix.com; tmcd@us.ibm.com is my work address   
      
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