The maglev development for Maglifter is modest. The levitation capability for Maglifter is a small step beyond that already achieved. Most of the development work would be for the Maglifter spacecraft.

A more challenging, and higher performance payoff launch concept, is StarTram. The actual energy cost of putting a pound into Earth Orbit would be very low, only about 25 cents per pound if electric energy were directly used to accelerate payloads to an orbital velocity of 8 kilometers per second. Such velocities are practical for a Maglev system in an evacuated tunnel (see Mach 3 Maglev); however, if the 8 km/sec spacecraft were to enter Earth's atmosphere at low altitude, the resultant air drag and heating would destroy it.

If an evacuated maglev tube is used to guide the spacecraft to very high altitudes, i.e., 70,000 feet or more, the resultant heating and drag forces when it enters the low density atmosphere can be safely handled. The low pressure evacuated maglev tube can be magnetically suspended to reach very high altitudes, termed StarTram, would allow the launching of millions of tons per year into Earth orbit. Such a launch capability would open up the Solar System for human exploration, exploitation, and colonization.

Details of the StarTram system are described on the web site, www.newworlds.com.