Moment giant 'slingshot' hurls payloads 25,000ft above Earth's surface

The moment a massive slingshot-like accelerator that hurls payloads into the stratosphere with more force than a rocket launch has paved the way for a unique method to send satellites into low Earth orbit - and the feat could happen by 2026.

The suborbital accelerator, which stands four feet taller than the Statue of Liberty, features a rotating arm that moves at 5,000 miles per hour and shoots projectiles 25,000 feet above Earth’s surface.

The facility is the brainchild of SpinLaunch, a company aiming to provide easy access to space, which is being developed to send 440-pound satellites 200,000 feet above Earth's surface.

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