Comment Re:A linear induction motor is not a railgun. (Score 3, Informative) 314
To accelerate a 100000 pound object to 240 mph requires an energy of 260 MJ (sorry I converted all units to SI before I started calculating so you have to convert it back to BTU or kcal or whatever the right unit for energy you want to use yourself). Assuming a linear acceleration over 300 feet to 240 mph gives an acceleration time of 1.7 s. This results in an average power of 153 MW. AFAIK there is no electrical turbine that will supply an extra 153 MW at the flip of a switch. Electrical energy has to be stored somewhere to let the catapult work.
Nyh