Talk:Mass driver

Pre-MAC tech?

Is the Mass Driver indeed the inspiration for the MAC and other magnetically operated weaponry? Correct me if I'm wrong, but based on what I've gotten over editing across this site is that MACs were in operation around the time of the Covenant presence, so the MAC must have been in operation before then. (Keep in mind I have not read the books).   ΘяɪɸɴF22    Me    Talk    Contributions    CAG   05:30, January 23, 2010 (UTC)

The two are similar in theory - a series of electromagnetic coils activated in sequence, providing a projectile with momentum and kinetic energy. In practice, the two are different - Mass Drivers are far lower velocity than their weaponised counterparts, designed only to accelerate a cargo container to escape velocity, where it is intercepted by orbiting freighters. A MAC fires ferric-tungsten/depleted uranium projectiles at far higher velocities. Technically, the Mass Driver came first, originally meant as a cheap alternative to more efficient but difficult to manufacture space elevators, but the UNSC had MAC technology during the early 2500's. -- Administrator Specops306 - Qur'a 'Morhek 09:02, January 23, 2010 (UTC)