[ScottieDo555]

Originally Posted by AdamC

We've been developing a primitive gas-spring powered catapult, and so far....it's smashed into the floor and broken, catapulting the ball about 4-feet vertically and 12 feet horizontally. The main issue is the momentum a catapult generates. It's enough to flip the robot forward unless you have some sort of wheelie bar.
The second issue is loading. We're thinking of a crude gripper to load the main launcher, and then a complicated lever system will amplify the force of a 250 ft-lbs. gas spring to launch the thing.

good luck to you!