# Quicklaunch > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Quicklaunch > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Quicklaunch.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quicklaunch > Source revision: 1351915158 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|American aerospace company}} {{Infobox company | name = Quicklaunch | logo = | type = [Private](/source/Private_company) | foundation = 2010 | location = [California](/source/California), US | key_people = [John Hunter](/source/John_Hunter_(scientist)) | num_employees = | revenue = | industry = [Aerospace](/source/Aerospace_engineering) | products = | homepage = [https://web.archive.org/web/20120724005949/http://quicklaunchinc.com/ quicklaunchinc.com] }} '''Quicklaunch''' is an inactive US company attempting to use a type of [space gun](/source/space_gun) to launch payloads into [low Earth orbit](/source/low_Earth_orbit). It is a [university spin-off](/source/university_spin-off) of the [SHARP](/source/Super_High_Altitude_Research_Project) project which ended 2005. ==Quicklauncher== The Quicklaunch proposed firing apparatus was a [light-gas gun](/source/light-gas_gun) using [hydrogen](/source/hydrogen) as the working gas and natural gas as the explosive heat source. Heating and pre-pressurizing the hydrogen working gas takes 10 minutes before the shot and most of the hydrogen is recovered by a muzzle muffler at the end of the launch tube to be reused for subsequent launches. The {{convert|1100|m|ft|adj=mid|-long}} gun would be, for the most part, submerged in the ocean. Its horizontal and vertical direction ([azimuth](/source/azimuth) and [elevation](/source/Elevation_(ballistics))) could be adjusted based on customer launch requirements. The proposed launcher was designed to give projectiles an initial speed of {{convert|6|km/s|abbr=on}} while the Earth [orbital speed](/source/orbital_speed) is {{convert|6.9|to|7.8|km/s|abbr=on}}. The projectile design therefore included a one-stage rocket which ignites some time after launch. The designed payloads could include spacecraft, satellites, consumable, water or fuel to supply a [propellant depot](/source/propellant_depot) in orbit. Projected costs to orbit were {{convert|500|$/lb|$/kg}}.{{cite web | url=http://www.quicklaunchinc.com | title=Quicklaunch Inc - Affordable Space Exploration | access-date=February 14, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120724005949/http://quicklaunchinc.com/|archive-date=2012-07-24}}{{cite AV media | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IXYsDdPvbo |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/1IXYsDdPvbo |archive-date=2021-12-15 |url-status=live| title=Cannons to the Planets |work=GoogleTechTalks |publisher=YouTube |first=John |last=Hunter |date=December 15, 2009}}{{cbignore}} ==Project phases== # A one-year 2 million dollar project to break the record height of {{convert|180|km}} for a projectile fired from a space gun, which was achieved in [Project HARP](/source/Project_HARP). # A two-year 10 million dollar project to launch to orbit a {{convert|1|kg}} payload each time. # A two-year 50 million dollar project to launch to orbit a {{convert|45|kg}} payload each time. # A three-year 500 million dollar project to build and operate multiple {{convert|1,100|m}} long Quicklaunchers called the QL-1000 that are capable of launching {{convert|1,000|lb}} propellant payloads to orbit. The goal is to supply {{convert|1,800,000|kg}} of fuel to orbital propellant depots yearly.{{cite web |url=http://quicklaunchinc.com/investors/space-exploration/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120927084853/http://quicklaunchinc.com/investors/space-exploration/ |archive-date=2012-09-27 |title=Quicklaunch Inc. : Business Phases}} ==Hiatus== In a 2016 article, Hunter remarked that the work had been put in stasis due in part to [Elon Musk](/source/Elon_Musk)'s company, [SpaceX](/source/SpaceX), taking up the challenge of reducing costs to orbit. Hunter however invited someone with a similar level of money and motivation, to take a fresh look at the approach.{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160317-the-man-who-tried-to-make-a-supergun-for-saddam-hussein |work=BBC |title=The tragic tale of Saddam Hussein's 'supergun' |first=William |last=Park |date=17 March 2016}} Later, Hunter ran a new start-up called Green Launch that is also developing a space [light-gas gun](/source/light-gas_gun). == See also == {{Portal|Spaceflight}} * [Non-rocket spacelaunch](/source/Non-rocket_spacelaunch) * [Super High Altitude Research Project](/source/Super_High_Altitude_Research_Project) * [Green Launch](/source/Green_Launch) == References == {{reflist}} == External links == *[https://web.archive.org/web/20120207050121/http://www.phys.uregina.ca/node/239 Shooting right for the stars with one gargantuan gas gun] - Excerpt from 1996 Smithsonian Magazine on Hunter's work with SHARP. The final paragraph contains the financial assessment. *SHARP Gun Accelerates Scramjets to Mach 9", by William B Scott, Aviation Week and Space Technology, September 9, 1996, page 63. *[https://web.archive.org/web/20111111224712/http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/sharp.htm Encyclopedia Astronautica - SHARP] *[http://moonandback.com/?s=john+hunter&searchbtn.x=0&searchbtn.y=0 Video Interview of John Hunter - Gas Station In Space] moonandback 2011 *[https://web.archive.org/web/20110727163031/http://www.thespaceshow.com/detail.asp?q=1290 Audio Interview of John Hunter] on The space show *{{cite report| title = The Feasibility of Launching Small Satellites with a Light Gas Gun| citeseerx = 10.1.1.203.4552 |postscript = : }} detailed PDF of a land based version {{Non-rocket spacelaunch}} Category:Space guns Category:Aerospace companies of the United States Category:Private spaceflight companies Category:Space access --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Quicklaunch](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quicklaunch) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quicklaunch?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.