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A railgun is an electrically-powered artillery gun that accelerates a conductive projectile among magnetic metal rails using the same principles as the homopolar motor. Railguns use two sliding or rolling contacts that permit a large electric current to pass through the projectile. This current interacts with the strong magnetic fields generated by the rails and this accelerates the projectile. Particular characteristics are the lack of propellant (only the projectile and the electrical energy to launch it are required), and the ability to launch projectiles much faster than firearms-based technology allows.
Railguns have long existed as experiemental technology. However, in recent years, some are moving towards becoming feasible military technology. For example, in the late 2000s, the US Navy tested a railgun that accelerates a 3.2 kilogram (7 lbs) projectile to approximately 2.4 km per second (5400 mph). They called the project Velocitas Eradico, which translates from Latin as "Speed Destroys."
Apart from military applications, railguns have been proposed to launch spacecraft into orbit. However, unless the launching track was particularly long, and the acceleration required spread over a much longer time, such launches would necessarily be restricted to unmanned spacecraft.
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