Videos

Ram Accelerator Lab Shot

Standard test shot at the 38mm UW ram accelerator facility on December 11th, 2008. Maximum velocity attained was 2.7km/s. In order of appearance, you will see the starter light gas gun, the initial gas vent tank, the ram tube, and finally the catcher.


ARL 120mm Ram Accelerator Outdoor Shot

In the mid 1990s the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) conducted a series of experiments using a 120mm ram accelerator. In terms of bore diameter, this is the largest ram accelerator ever built, essentially made of surplus 5 inch gun barrels. It is the only ram accelerator to be tested outdoors with the projectile in free flight through the atmosphere. Maximum projectile velocity achieved was 2.2 km/s, which is approximately Mach 6.5 in free flight through the atmosphere.