Speaker
Description
This paper presents a theoretical framework and critical feasibility analysis for Project Alfie, a novel ground-based launch system concept. The system is designed to propel a 3,000 kg payload to low Earth orbit using a hybrid propulsion method that synergistically combines staged electromagnetic acceleration with acoustic levitation and stabilization. The proposed architecture consists of a 50-meter vertical containment shaft housing a ten-stage modular accelerator. Each stage is designed to contribute a fraction of the total propulsive force required to achieve an orbital velocity of 7,800 m/s. Through a rigorous examination of the underlying physics and engineering requirements, this analysis quantifies the extreme operational parameters of the system. The findings reveal that the project's requirements for magnetic field strength, acoustic levitation scaling, payload survivability under acceleration, and peak power discharge exceed the current state-of-the-art by several orders of magnitude. These significant discrepancies define the boundaries of current and near-future technological capabilities and are presented as the primary challenges to the concept's viability. The paper concludes by identifying these feasibility gaps and proposing a roadmap for future research focused on fundamental physics and a necessary reconceptualization of the core design constraints.
https://www.academia.edu/resource/work/143045224
https://www.academia.edu/resource/work/165187681