Re: [FT] Railgun Goals

>***Discarding Sabot allows the use of a short, large diameter
barrel...***
>
>Well, the discarding part is probably 'useless', as the idea is to make
a
>large diameter shot-in-the-barrel a small diameter projectile-in-air to
>reduce drag.
    Nope.

>No drag in space. And, the discarded sabot is discarded mass,
>probably off target. On the other hand, you might want the projectile
of
>small diameter to punch through the exterior of the ship.
>
>EM railguns always assume ferrous rings for the induced magnetic
charge,
>but I'm not familiar with the electrical properties of uranium. Would
>depleted uranium (a metal) be similar to iron as far as magnetism?
Would
>there BE depleted uranium in a fusion powered world? ;->= Aren't some
of
>the rare earths near uranium in density, and near iron vis-a-vis
magnetism?

    A discarding sabot made of the appropriate materials allows the most
efficient "push" to the projectile, regardless of what the projectile is
made of. Which is why they are used. A short, large diameter barrel is
easier to manufacture and aim than a long, thin barrel.

Andrew Martin
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