EXPERTS at the

University of Sussex in Brighton are working on a project which could revolutionise space travel. SALLY HALL reports.

Mass space travel is the basis of modern science fiction, with films from Star Wars to The Fifth Element peddling the vision of an overcrowded universe full of speeding spaceships.

Now that vision could become a reality, with ordinary people seeing the earth from space for the first time, if engineers at The University of Sussex have their way.

A team of Sussex engineers is experimenting with a pioneering new space launch system, which they say could make large-scale space travel a possibility by the early days of the 21st Century.

If the next stage of their project proves successful, the new technology could completely revolutionise space exploration.

The engineers have developed a track, powered by electricity, which harnesses a form of energy known as magnetic levitation, or 'maglev'.

With their system, magnetic fields will levitate a rocket above a 5km long track and propel it until it reaches a speed high enough to be launched into orbit.

600mph

Rockets are expected to reach speeds of 600 miles per hour on the maglev track before shooting into space.

The project, spearheaded by Professor of Engineering Jay Jayawant, could result in a dramatic reduction in the cost of space travel.

He explained: "In terms of energy, launching a rocket with the maglev system would only cost £5 worth of electricity. In fact, that is probably an overestimate."

According to Prof Jayawant, the energy price tag is currently several hundred thousand dollars per launch. He said: "With maglev, you're talking about saving millions of dollars."

The most expensive - and wasteful - part of a space launch is the fuel it takes to put the rocket into orbit.

The heavier the rocket, the more costly the launch - and the fuel lost to the launch process is one-third of the craft's total original weight.

The maglev track would eliminate the need for this extra fuel. It relies on re-usable energy, so it is more environmentally-friendly than the huge amount of fossil fuels it currently takes to launch a rocket. And the track can be used again and again.

The $1 million project is backed by NASA as part of its Advanced Space Transportation Prog-ramme.

Last year a 12ft-long prototype track was demonstrated in laboratories at Sussex.

Now a 50ft track has been constructed at the Marshall Space Flight Centre in Alabama, USA - and it has convinced NASA experts that maglev energy could be the way forward for cheap, energy-efficient rocket launches.

Last month, the 50ft maglev track succeeded in accelerating a model spacecraft from zero to 60mph in less than half a second - at the flip of an electric switch.

The engineers are now working towards constructing a 200ft track to propel a vehicle at up to 200mph.

Bill Jacobs, the Marshall Centre's head maglev engineer, said: "We want to demonstrate that control can be maintained at high speeds along the maglev track."

Sherry Buschmann, manager of the centre's launch technologies, is certainly optimistic.

She said: "Maglev could result in tremendous savings in the cost of getting to space."

Experiments into various kinds of maglev technology are underway all over the world.

High-speed maglev-powered public transport systems are being piloted in Germany and Japan.

The London Underground system has even shown interest in the project.

And a Californian team is working towards providing maglev technology for space travel.

Space race

But Prof Jayawant believes Sussex will be first in the space race. He said: "We have demonstrated our theories, whereas they are only talking about it.

"In engineering, theoretical calculations may show that something will work, but it is a very different matter to show that it works in an experiment. So far our theory has tied in very closely with our experimental work."

Magnev technology was pioneered in the 1960s with the 'magnetic river' concept.

The theory argued that magnetic energy could pull objects over a force-field like a stick is pulled by a river.

The Sussex team has modified this theory by separating the levitation action from the propulsion action.

Prof Jayawant said: "We judged that the magnetic river had to be modified. We have separated the two components of levitation and acceleration - so there is no wasted energy."

Prof Jayawant hopes the full-scale track will be ready for launch by 2007.

He said: "This is not very far away as far as technological time scales go.

"It depends on how the next phase goes - that is the crucial stage - but if that succeeds we're set for the big one."

Prof Jayawant believes his fast-track to the universe will change the face of space travel.

He said: "It wouldn't surprise me if NASA started carrying people on space-travel trips.

"They already have designs for shuttles which could take ordinary people into space.

"I'm very pleased we have the opportunity to play a part in this truly exciting venture. It's all completely new."

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