Question about two-stage light gas guns

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In summary: According to this page, a light gas gun is "a type of high-powered gun that uses a gas atmosphere to propel projectiles at high speeds. The guns are used to study the effect of small meteors on spacecraft shields and to study the interaction of high-speed projectiles with materials."The article goes on to say that "it is theoretically possible to achieve velocity above 7 km / s for a projectile of about 16 grams weight and 15 mm diameter using a gun With total length 15 to 10 meters - 10 meters excluding the launch tube and 12.5 meters including the launch tube, 15 meters including the Target capsule for example - I think this is practically impossible.. Is this possible? and What is the shortest tube length of the
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Abdalrahman Azab
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Hello ... I had a question about the capabilities of the two-stage light gas guns which are used to study the effect of small meteors on spacecraft shields ... is it theoretically possible to achieve velocity above 7 km / s for a projectile of about 16 grams weight and 15 mm diameter using a gun With total length 15 to 10 meters - 10 meters excluding the launch tube and 12.5 meters including the launch tube, 15 meters including the Target capsule for example - I think this is practically impossible.. Is this possible? and What is the shortest tube length of the pump to achieve this speed ... Thank you.
 
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Abdalrahman Azab said:
Summary:: What is the shortest pump tube length sufficient to achieve a velocity of 7 kilometers per second for a projectile weighing approximately 15 grams? Is it possible to achieve this with a 5-6 meter long pump tube? .. I think this is impossible

Hello ... I had a question about the capabilities of the two-stage light gas guns which are used to study the effect of small meteors on spacecraft shields ... is it theoretically possible to achieve velocity above 7 km / s for a projectile of about 16 grams weight and 15 mm diameter using a gun With total length 15 to 10 meters - 10 meters excluding the launch tube and 12.5 meters including the launch tube, 15 meters including the Target capsule for example - I think this is practically impossible.. Is this possible? and What is the shortest tube length of the pump to achieve this speed ... Thank you.
Welcome to PhysicsForums. :smile:

What reading have you done so far on this? What information sources have you found? It looks to be a pretty well developed technology (although highly specialized), with good datapoints for what is being used right now. I started at Wikipedia reading about Hypervelocity Projectiles, and ended up at their page on Light Gas Guns:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light-gas_gun

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1. What is a two-stage light gas gun?

A two-stage light gas gun is a type of high-velocity gun used for conducting experiments and research in various fields such as materials science, astrophysics, and aerodynamics. It uses a two-stage propellant system, consisting of a light gas (such as hydrogen or helium) in the first stage and a solid propellant in the second stage, to accelerate a projectile to extremely high velocities.

2. How does a two-stage light gas gun work?

In a two-stage light gas gun, the first stage uses a burst disk to rapidly release the light gas into a chamber, creating a high-pressure shock wave. This shock wave then travels down the length of the gun and impacts the solid propellant in the second stage, igniting it and generating a large amount of hot gas. This hot gas then accelerates the projectile through the barrel at high speeds.

3. What are the advantages of using a two-stage light gas gun?

One of the main advantages of a two-stage light gas gun is its ability to achieve extremely high velocities, often exceeding 10 km/s. This makes it useful for studying the behavior of materials under extreme conditions and for simulating high-speed impacts, such as those that occur during space debris collisions. Additionally, the use of a light gas in the first stage allows for a more gradual acceleration of the projectile, reducing the risk of damage to sensitive equipment or samples.

4. What types of experiments can be conducted with a two-stage light gas gun?

A two-stage light gas gun can be used for a wide range of experiments, including studying the properties of materials at high velocities and pressures, simulating hypervelocity impacts, and investigating the behavior of materials in extreme environments. It is also commonly used in astrophysics research to study the behavior of meteoroids and other space debris.

5. Are there any safety concerns when using a two-stage light gas gun?

As with any high-velocity gun, there are potential safety concerns when operating a two-stage light gas gun. The high pressures and velocities involved can pose risks to both equipment and personnel. Therefore, strict safety protocols and procedures must be followed when using a two-stage light gas gun. Additionally, proper training and supervision are essential to ensure safe operation.

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