One embodiment of a shock and launch apparatus comprises a first carriage and a second carriage adapted to move along a carriage guide, wherein the first carriage has a mass M.sub.1 greater than a mass M.sub.2 of the second carriage; the carriage guide, associated with a substantially linear path of movement of the first and second carriages; and a carriage stop, capable of being positioned at a first position and a second position, wherein the carriage stop in the first position is at least partially in the path of movement of the second carriage. In one embodiment, the carriage stop in the second position is not in the path of movement of the second carriage. One embodiment of a method comprises providing a velocity-reversing impact to the first carriage; providing a plurality of velocity-amplifying impacts between the second carriage and the first carriage after the velocity-reversing impact to the first carriage, providing a plurality of velocity-reversing impacts between the second carriage and the carriage stop in the first position; and changing the position of the carriage stop to the second position.