Here's what it looks like to get flung from a centrifuge at 1,000 mph

[Endymio]

Not only that, but you're fighting air resistance at its densest at your highest velocity.

True. However that is outweighed a hundred times over by the fact that the launch payload doesn't have to carry its own fuel. A traditional rocket spends from 90% to 99% of its fuel lifting other fuel, rather than payload. In this design, 100% of the energy imparted lifts payload. And the energy in this case is from cheap electricity, rather than much-more expensive rocket fuels.

As for the G-force argument, the dynamic forces imparted are a factor of the launch platform diameter. The larger your system, the lower the force required.

 

[kiwigraeme]

7Km - I would still go with a super gun - 2km barrel ( start underground in low vacuum barrel ) - with acceleration along the whole barrel - even have 2 propulsion methods - advantages - less damage to missile , lower G forces - allows more chance to have a rocket - with fuel , guidance systems etc .
maybe some Kerbal specialists here- why not jet plane to fly straight up and launch one powerful missile - my 2 minute reading F22 goes to 20Km - need to get to say 400km Space Station - at space station gravity is 90% so on surface . So only real benefit is low drag- apparently drag is dwarfed by gravity - plus fuel spend - ie the missile still has 100% fuel at the release and maybe velocity if released by secondary method - there are formulas to use - as I said 2 minute read

Anyway only a fraction of power - well so what- it's not a linear relationship

 

[ZedRM]

NASA has been backing a lot of failed projects.

And they have backed a lot of successful projects too. Perhaps you've heard of the latest, The James Web Telescope? Or maybe the LOOOOONG list of successful planetary missions?

When a projectile falls onto your house, you'll see the merit.

And I'll bet you thought that pithy response was clever. It was not.

 

[Hodor]

During World-War II Germans had anti-aircraft shells that had electronic proximity fuses, which could withstand thousands of G's when fired from cannons. Now, we're not talking about semiconductor electronics. They didn't exist then. We're talking about vacuum tubes. How they made them so resistant is beyond me. This "ancient" electronics that could withstand abnormal G forces was actually manufactured in Slovenia.

So, if they were able to do that with vacuum tubes 80 years ago, I think they can do it with modern semiconductors today.

 

[Endymio]

During World-War II Germans had anti-aircraft shells that had electronic proximity fuses, which could withstand thousands of G's when fired...We're talking about vacuum tubes. How they made them so resistant is beyond me.

The Germans never fielded a proximity fuse in WW2 (they designed one, but never placed it in production). The Allies did, however, and it was one of the most important inventions of the war: more devastating (and just as secretly guarded) as the A-bomb, in fact.

The vacuum tubes it used were highly miniaturized, ten times smaller than the ones you'd see in a tube radio. They were also "potted" -- filled with resin and encased in solid wax -- to withstand the g forces.

If you're interested, you can see one in the (originally classified) BuOrd publication from 1946, at: https://archive.hnsa.org/doc/vtfuze/index.htm

 

[Hodor]

The Germans never fielded a proximity fuse in WW2 (they designed one, but never placed it in production). The Allies did, however, and it was one of the most important inventions of the war: more devastating (and just as secretly guarded) as the A-bomb, in fact.

The vacuum tubes it used were highly miniaturized, ten times smaller than the ones you'd see in a tube radio. They were also "potted" -- filled with resin and encased in solid wax -- to withstand the g forces.

If you're interested, you can see one in the (originally classified) BuOrd publication from 1946, at: https://archive.hnsa.org/doc/vtfuze/index.htm

You're right, they never fielded them, but they have developed over 30 different types of proximity fuses. And even if the vacuum tubes were filled and miniaturized....... still no match to transistors. If advanced vacuum tubes can survive thousands of G's, then modern microchips can withstand the launch even easier. And they do.

The problem gets a bit worse if you try shooting humans from that centrifuge.