Nasa To Test Catapult That Flings Objects Into Space At 5,000mph

Yep, 5,000mph. Basically, the speed limit in your local area - plus 4,980mph.

Well, it's all about saving time and money.

The catapult works by revolving a carbon fibre arm within a steel vacuum chamber that measures 91 metres in diameter.

While the system at first sounds like throwing darts in the dark, the satellites will actually use a small amount of propulsion to synch into their desired orbit, making it an incredibly useful alternative for the Space Agency.

Nasa has teamed up with a California-based start-up SpinLaunch to cut the cost, time, and complexity of getting in amongst the stars.

The catapult can be made using materials that are pretty widely available.

CEO of the start-up, Jonathan Yaney commented on their product, saying: "SpinLaunch is offering a unique suborbital flight and high-speed testing service, and the recent launch agreement with Nasa marks a key inflection point as SpinLaunch shifts focus from technology development to commercial offerings.

"What started as an innovative idea to make space more accessible has materialised into a technically mature and game-changing approach to launch."

According to the company's website, its first test launch occurred in October last year, at its Mexico test site.

Now, with Nasa as a partner, the start-up is set to develop a Suborbital Accelerator Launch System, with the hope of the first test flight taking place in 2025.