Jeff Suzuki wrote:

Depends on what you're planning to send. For example, if your payload
is
capable of withstanding, say, 50 gravities, you could launch via a
railgun
(a la Jules Verne). You'd only need a 60 km long rail.

You're still going to need an orbital insertion burn when you get up
there, though granted it can be made much smaller.

Cost to orbit
would be just about nothing; the main expense would be amortizing the
railgun cost, and the technology is basically "off the shelf."

I'm not sure where you get "off the shelf," since no one's managed to
make a railgun that doesn't melt itself to slag each time it's used.

--
Erik Max Francis && && http://www.alcyone.com/max/
__ San Jose, CA, USA && 37 20 N 121 53 W && &tSftDotIotE
/ \ I want to know God's thought; the rest are details.
\__/ Albert Einstein