Try logging out and logging back in again David.
The forum software is weird.
It'll let you post a new thread, but not edit it.
Log out and back in again fixes it.
It seems to keep an eye on IP addresses, and if that changes you need a fresh login.
A Canadian engineer built about 90% of a giant rail gun that was destined for cheap satellite launch.
Rumour has it that the US secret service shut the project down and killed him.
He was also the guy who supplied sadam Hussain with the best mobile artillery on the planet. So the smart conspiracy theories have it that it was payback and nothing to do with the satellite launcher stealing NASA's business.
Last time I checked the bulk of the railgun launcher was still there.
It's not a centrifuge as such. Centrifuges are balanced.
Thus would be exactly like a sling.
Think timpa after taking the DOOM berserker powerup
But I'm with Morphy, one miscalculation, frayed tether or vibration and the thing would test itself apart.
But a very cool idea !
It'll work right up to the point where it doesn't.
As long as it's isolated enough and run remotely, the odd devasting misfire would become an acceptable risk.
I suspect it would blow up less frequently than rockets do