BIESEL@RUTGERS (12/17/82)
Does anyone know what happened to OTRAG, the german firm that was going to build cheap launch vehicles, using windshield wiper motors for pumps, and other cost-saving features? Last I heard, they had to move from Central Africa, for mysterious reasons. While I'm asking for obscure info: I recall a scheme some years ago for using a cannon to fire an object into orbit (or at least supplying a major part of the kinetic and potential energy for orbital insertion of a small rocket). Does anyone know the fate of this project, or any reasons (other than the obvious technical problems of acceleration, and pressure) why this cannot work? Pete. -------