Patent ID: 8181906

Claim:
A launch system for launching a projectile, comprising: a propellant disposed inside a barrel, the propellant coupled between a closed bottom portion of the barrel and a ram sealably disposed in the barrel, the propellant to force the ram toward an exit opening of the barrel, the ram to carry the projectile in alignment with the barrel along a length of the barrel and out the exit opening; and one or more ramps coupled to the barrel inside the barrel, the ramps disposed around the exit opening, the ramps to wedge the ram and stop the ram as the ram travels toward the exit opening, wherein the projectile is coupled to the barrel with an electronics cable configured to couple with electronics and control the projectile, the electronics cable disposed through the ram, and the one or more ramps are located a distance along the length, away from the bottom portion, to maintain slack in the cable between the ram and the closed bottom portion when the ram is wedged between at least two of the one or more ramps.