Comments on: Project Babylon: Gerald Bull’s Downfall http://www.damninteresting.com/project-babylon-gerald-bulls-downfall A collection of Damn Interesting things Tue, 16 Mar 2010 09:41:34 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Mirage_GSM http://www.damninteresting.com/project-babylon-gerald-bulls-downfall#comment-23071 Mirage_GSM Mon, 13 Oct 2008 12:24:26 +0000 #comment-23071 Might be a good way to get all those building materials for the space elevator into orbit. You can fly up all those fancy electronics by shuttle, but the steel and stuff should withstand the g-forces. And instead of a secondary impulse, have someone up there play catch ;-) Why would anyone want to use this as a weapon to fire unguided projectiles, when there are perfectly good guided missiles with a higher range available at a lesser cost? Might be a good way to get all those building materials for the space elevator into orbit. You can fly up all those fancy electronics by shuttle, but the steel and stuff should withstand the g-forces. And instead of a secondary impulse, have someone up there play catch ;-)
Why would anyone want to use this as a weapon to fire unguided projectiles, when there are perfectly good guided missiles with a higher range available at a lesser cost?

]]> By: Remarque http://www.damninteresting.com/project-babylon-gerald-bulls-downfall#comment-22608 Remarque Mon, 25 Aug 2008 22:02:24 +0000 #comment-22608 [quote]jhail010 said: Saddam Hussein built the gun for a clever reason though, to disable satelittes, using a sticky chemical to blind the satelitte. [/quote] "Sir, it appears our radar has been....JAMMED!" Sorry, I just had to. [quote]jhail010 said:

Saddam Hussein built the gun for a clever reason though, to disable satelittes, using a sticky chemical to blind the satelitte. [/quote]

“Sir, it appears our radar has been….JAMMED!”

Sorry, I just had to.

]]> By: LYCEJ08 http://www.damninteresting.com/project-babylon-gerald-bulls-downfall#comment-22513 LYCEJ08 Tue, 12 Aug 2008 20:20:34 +0000 #comment-22513 humm all just want to say is want to share this video that i recently saw in pollclash ..talking about soaring prices of oil and the war in Iraq all of that ..just try to check the video in http://pollclash.com humm all just want to say is want to share this video that i recently saw in pollclash ..talking about soaring prices of oil and the war in Iraq all of that ..just try to check the video in http://pollclash.com

]]> By: Futamatagawa http://www.damninteresting.com/project-babylon-gerald-bulls-downfall#comment-16391 Futamatagawa Sun, 22 Jul 2007 04:03:00 +0000 #comment-16391 <p>If I remember correctly, there wasn`t going to be a "big powder charge". There were to be a series of chemical reactions propagated as the projectile travelled down the tube. He had supposedly already did prooof of concept with a 16" sub-caliber saboted round at HARP.</p><p> And contrary to other opinion, it would have been lots cheaper that the current rocket technology. The Space Shuttle originally had an unmanned variant that more than doubled its cargo capacity. Don`t see that one, do we? Just because its not built, doesn`t mean its not efficient.</p> If I remember correctly, there wasn`t going to be a “big powder charge”. There were to be a series of chemical reactions propagated as the projectile travelled down the tube. He had supposedly already did prooof of concept with a 16″ sub-caliber saboted round at HARP.

And contrary to other opinion, it would have been lots cheaper that the current rocket technology.

The Space Shuttle originally had an unmanned variant that more than doubled its cargo capacity. Don`t see that one, do we?

Just because its not built, doesn`t mean its not efficient.

]]> By: coin hunter http://www.damninteresting.com/project-babylon-gerald-bulls-downfall#comment-15084 coin hunter Tue, 22 May 2007 08:09:35 +0000 #comment-15084 <p>wow wounder if it was possible to tilt the earth off of its axis?</p><p>wounder how hot an object would get being ejected from such a long barel ? </p> wow wounder if it was possible to tilt the earth off of its axis?

wounder how hot an object would get being ejected from such a long barel ?

]]> By: Jeffrey93 http://www.damninteresting.com/project-babylon-gerald-bulls-downfall#comment-13269 Jeffrey93 Sat, 10 Mar 2007 07:09:17 +0000 #comment-13269 <p>I've seen the movie about this...it was pretty good. Seemed low budget but was very interesting.</p><p>I can't recall the specifics of the movie...but I was under the belief that the whole purpose of this 'Super Gun' was to lob warheads at Israel.<p> Bull might have had different intentions than Hussein, but I really thought that was pretty much the main purpose for the 'Super Gun'.</p> I’ve seen the movie about this…it was pretty good. Seemed low budget but was very interesting.

I can’t recall the specifics of the movie…but I was under the belief that the whole purpose of this ‘Super Gun’ was to lob warheads at Israel.

Bull might have had different intentions than Hussein, but I really thought that was pretty much the main purpose for the ‘Super Gun’.

]]> By: FoolsGold http://www.damninteresting.com/project-babylon-gerald-bulls-downfall#comment-13234 FoolsGold Fri, 09 Mar 2007 00:23:56 +0000 #comment-13234 <p>Such superguns have been around for centuries. Its only the definition of 'super' that changes.</p><p> One of the greatest revolutions in such implements was the development of corned powder. For centuries publishing the formula for gunpowder was punishable by death even though such weapons were rather ineffective. The development of corned gunpowder vastly improved firepower and accuracy. Various railroad guns in the American Civil War were used but were often found to be cumbersome and not particularly accurate. Certainly such weapons now would be "sitting ducks" for any of a number of highly accurate standoff weapons.</p> Such superguns have been around for centuries. Its only the definition of ’super’ that changes.

One of the greatest revolutions in such implements was the development of corned powder. For centuries publishing the formula for gunpowder was punishable by death even though such weapons were rather ineffective. The development of corned gunpowder vastly improved firepower and accuracy.

Various railroad guns in the American Civil War were used but were often found to be cumbersome and not particularly accurate. Certainly such weapons now would be “sitting ducks” for any of a number of highly accurate standoff weapons.

]]> By: donlaudanny http://www.damninteresting.com/project-babylon-gerald-bulls-downfall#comment-12943 donlaudanny Sat, 24 Feb 2007 16:48:52 +0000 #comment-12943 <p>Couldn't differential frictional drag of air be use as the 2nd impulse?</p> Couldn’t differential frictional drag of air be use as the 2nd impulse?

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