Xref: utzoo sci.physics:12371 sci.electronics:11162
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!wuarchive!usc!apple!portal!atari!trh
From: trh@atari.UUCP (T R Hall)
Newsgroups: sci.physics,sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Coilguns -- help me Spock!
Message-ID: <2130@atari.UUCP>
Date: 7 Apr 90 20:03:12 GMT
References: <1990Apr5.155856.10617@utzoo.uucp>
Organization: Atari Corp., Sunnyvale, CA
Lines: 15

>>	Even _*IF*_ one mode is more "efficient" than the other, _*WHY NOT
>>USE BOTH AT THE SAME TIME!!??*_  ...
> 
> Stability issues are one possible reason.  The Space Studies Institute
> mass-driver people eventually settled on an all-attractive scheme, as
> I recall, because it naturally stabilized the projectile, while schemes
> using repulsive drive as well needed active stabilization.

	Thank you. In my zeal over the magnetic forces, I conveniently
ignored the purely mechanical aspects. You're right; it's kind of like
the difference between pulling or pushing a trailer. Pulling IN to a point
(the center of the coil) is, of course, more stable than pushing OUT from
the same point.

					TRH