Fabrication et installation d’un lanceur à gaz à grande vitesse pour l’Ecole polytechnique

École Polytechnique procured the fabrication and installation of a high-velocity gas launcher capable of firing projectiles and plates up to 50 mm in diameter at speeds between 300 and 1,300 m/s, with impacts to be conducted in vacuum conditions requiring precise angle control at nanosecond-to-microsecond timescales. The contract, awarded to Physics Applications Inc. on 24 April 2026 for €409,800, includes machining a precise rectangular groove along the barrel length and an impact chamber with debris protection, soft sample recovery, and ports for optical and electronic instrumentation.