The idea of using magnets to accelerate satellites to the speeds necessary for launch has been looked at before. But those involved using straight tracks. A man named Jim Fiske came up with the idea of using a circular track like those used in modern day particle accelerators in physics research. In this system, a satellite is enclosed in an aerodynamic, cone-shaped shell riding on a sled which responds to superconducting magnets. Once the sled has reached a speed of 6 miles per second, a laser device would separate it from the cone. The cone would continue travelling along a tunnel until it is launched into space via an angled ramp at a speed of about 5 miles per second. Fuel would be carried onboard the satellite for purposes of correcting its trajectory. The current costs of sending a satellite into space through traditional rocket launch is about $4,000 per pound. The initial costs of the proposed magnetic launch system comes in at around $750 per pound and could eventually be lowered to $100 per pound. The US Air Force is funding further studies into this technology, perhaps as use in launching weaponry. Of course, if the Launch Ring is a resounding success, its use as a missle launcher could make it a target of attacks.