What is a Mass Driver?
A mass driver refers to some form of electromagnetic catapault used to launch a payload into orbit faster than escape velocity. A mass driver would use a linear motor, designed to force an object in one direction and then release, as opposed to a rotating motor. Momentum carries the object the rest of the intended course. Linear motors use electromagnetic force to propel a projectile or transport unit forward. High-velocity linear motors are either railguns or coilguns. Railguns use the Lorentz force, which propels a projectile perpendicular to a flowing magnetic field; whereas coilguns use a sequence of alternatively firing electromagnets to propel a projectile. There is a subtle difference. All mass driver proposals use coilguns rather than railguns. The sequential and timed nature of the electromagnets allows velocity and acceleration to be more finely determined. This control allows passengers and cargo to be exposed to minimal g-forces. The mass driver is a technology that intends
