[MrForbes]

we'll put this out for review by all the kind, knowledgeable folks here on CD....will it work?

There are two identical catapults mounted next to each other, with a bar connecting them to keep them parallel. Each one has a 10" stroke 2" bore Bimba cylinder, which in the resting position is extended about 3". The latch is also pneumatically actuated, but the cylinder for it is not shown. It probably has a bearing at the contact point to reduce friction.

The cylinders are filled with compressed air after the beginning of teleoperated period. The ball is handled by another mechanism which is not shown, but which supports the ball on the catapult so that it can be lifted up by the catapult. The latch is released, and the air in the cylinders expands, causing them to extend the remaining 7" of their travel.

Our energy calculations and an experiment with a single, smaller cylinder seem to indicate that we can shoot the ball about 8 feet up....

what do you think?