Longshot Space is developing what it describes as the world’s largest gun, with the aim of firing satellites into orbit and offering a more efficient alternative to conventional rocket launches. The concept addresses a long-standing challenge in space travel: when a rocket lifts a payload into orbit, the overwhelming majority of its weight at launch is simply fuel.
After decades of spaceflight relying on that approach, the company hopes to unlock a leaner method of reaching orbit. Rather than burning vast quantities of propellant, its system would use a ground-based cannon to accelerate payloads to the speeds needed to reach space.
How the Cannon Works
Longshot is designing its cannons to accelerate payloads using compressed gas. Unlike conventional guns, which rely on a single sudden burst, Longshot uses multiple bursts of gas to accelerate its projectiles along the barrel. In its final form, that barrel is intended to stretch for miles, gradually building up the velocity required to send a payload into orbit.
This staged approach to acceleration is central to the design. By applying force across a far longer distance than a standard firearm, the system is meant to reach the extreme speeds needed for launch while spreading the acceleration over a greater length of travel.
Limits of Launching by Gun
Firing objects into space in this way requires satellites capable of withstanding the considerable shock involved. The company believes this is achievable for suitable hardware, but it acknowledges that travelling by gunshot is probably not feasible for sensitive cargo, and especially not for human beings.
As a result, the technology is aimed at rugged payloads rather than crewed missions or delicate instruments that could be damaged by the intense forces of a gun launch. The distinction underlines the specific niche the company is pursuing within the broader launch market.
To demonstrate the scale of the hardware, a contributor climbed inside the barrel of one of these guns for an in-depth tour of the Longshot Space facility.
