> What about using it to cheaply send fuel from earth up into LEO?
Just to clarify for you here, but this can't actually launch anything directly into LEO. It needs a rocket of some sort, or something in space to "catch" it and complete the orbit. This is why what they're launching in their slingshot isn't a payload, but a small rocket with plentiful heat shielding that will contain the payload to be released. That small rocket still needs to be built every time so it doesn't actually reduce costs that much until there is something in space to "catch" the payloads. Which I am skeptical of the ability to do for Earth orbit given the much larger speed differentials of catching things in LEO.
Also on the cost thing, you have the cost issue inverted and you're trying to solve the wrong problem. The most expensive part of space travel is the whole "throwing away the vehicle after one use" aspect, not the cost of the fuel. SpinLaunch makes the vehicle itself cheaper, but it's still throwing it away.
Just to clarify for you here, but this can't actually launch anything directly into LEO. It needs a rocket of some sort, or something in space to "catch" it and complete the orbit. This is why what they're launching in their slingshot isn't a payload, but a small rocket with plentiful heat shielding that will contain the payload to be released. That small rocket still needs to be built every time so it doesn't actually reduce costs that much until there is something in space to "catch" the payloads. Which I am skeptical of the ability to do for Earth orbit given the much larger speed differentials of catching things in LEO.
Also on the cost thing, you have the cost issue inverted and you're trying to solve the wrong problem. The most expensive part of space travel is the whole "throwing away the vehicle after one use" aspect, not the cost of the fuel. SpinLaunch makes the vehicle itself cheaper, but it's still throwing it away.