How High Can a Ground-Launched Projectile Reach?

[DaveC426913]

Possibly during http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Plumbbob" :

Yeah, I heard about this. They never did see where*WHAM*

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[pallidin]

Hmmm... might explain that gash on the moon appearing right afterwards ))

 

[AtomicJoe]

Surely it is fairly simple to calculate the heat generate on a projectile "of minimum heat generation" at the required 'launch speed'?
I expect such a calculation who save them building a lot of expensive guns!

I am not sure how to go about the calculation myself, ie the heating effect at various speeds, there must be some sort of equation knocking about somewhere?

I mean we see the massive problems with the re-enter of the space shuttle, the heat generated here must be an order of magnitude above that, surely!?

 

[DrBloke]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_gun" about rail guns says: the U.S. Navy has tested a railgun that accelerates a 3.2 kg (7 pound) projectile to approximately 2.4 kilometres per second (5,400 mph). It also talks about current research to use this technology to launch things into orbit. For this application it states that the muzzle velocity would be 7.5 km/s