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HASTOL concept to offer low-fuel space launches

space tether

The Hypersonic Airplane Space Tether Orbital Launch or HASTOL system is a concept devised by engineers at NASA that can one day reduce the amount of fuel required to launch astronauts and satellites into space. Since the amount of fuel required for the process is low, the cost to travel will also reduce in the coming years.

The system consists of three main elements that include – an air-breathing subsonic to hypersonic airplane that will take astronauts or the satellite to an intermediate point between the earth and the orbit. Next is the grapple system that will grip the payload from the airplane and hand it over to the tether system. The tether system will rely on Earth’s gravity or its electromagnetic energy to slingshot the payload at orbital speeds. This momentum-exchange tether will allow the energy and momentum to be transferred between objects in space, allowing the system to toss a spacecraft from one orbit to another.

The concept will perhaps eliminate the need of rockets to launch satellites and will limit the design requirements for a reusable air-breathing hypersonic vehicle to Mach 10. This technology will surely make space travel more earth-friendly and in the ‘dare-to-dream’ range for many.

Via: Eco Geek

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