Alternative Space Vehicle Launch Systems

Over the last century chemical propellants have been the dominant fuel source for the aviation and aerospace industry, primarily because they are able to provide ample power for a limited cost. However, over the last decade as the price of chemical propellant continues to soar and their detrimental effect on our environment comes to light, there has been a surge to develop an alternative propulsion system. This has driven us in the search for a greener technology, which is capable of providing similar power without compromising on safety and reliability. This paper proposes the use of magnetic levitation and propulsion within a vacuum chamber as an alternative technology. Since such a system relies on an external energy source, the amount of power that can be supplied to the track and craft is only limited by available technology and power sources. Although magnetic levitation has been used for high speed ground transport before, we shall break from tradition by trying to propose the development of an alternative propulsion system that could be used for commercial aircrafts as well as future space travel.